The most decorated player in English football history scooped another big accolade in the form of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2009.
Ryan Giggs, the Manchester United winger, was clearly shocked when his name was called as the winner of BBC’s Sports Personality of The Year winner for 2009. Giggs beat out competition from Jenson Button, Jessica Ennis, and Mark Cavendish.
With the public choosing their favourite from the shortlist of 10 by phone on the night, Giggs received 29.4% of the vote (151,842 votes) ahead of Button (18.74% – 96,770) and Ennis (15.58% – 80,469) with a total of 516,473 votes cast.
As he said himself, “I am playing for the greatest manager that has ever lived, and I’m playing for the greatest club. Perhaps I’ve become more appreciated as I have got older. It’s unusual for a 36-year-old to be playing with a team like Manchester United for 20 years, but I am enjoying it, and long may it continue.
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Giggs became only the second Manchester United player to win the award after David Beckham claimed it in 2001. However, United legend George Best came close to winning the award in 1971 when he placed second.
Is Ryan Giggs In the Hall of Fame?
Ryan Giggs is not yet in the Football Hall of Fame, despite being one of the most decorated players in Premier League history. On April 26th 2021, Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry officially made history as they became the first two players to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame.
Although Ryan Giggs was anticipated to be among the chosen few, he was shockingly left out at the last minute. This has caused consternation among fans, who are now questioning why he wasn’t selected.
Giggs has been a star since his debut in 1991 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.
He holds numerous records, including the most Premier League assists (162) and the second-most appearances (632). He also won 13 league titles with Manchester United, more than any other player in English football history. Despite Giggs’ impressive list of accomplishments, he was still passed up for induction into the Hall of Fame.
Football fans have speculated that Giggs’ exclusion from the Hall of Fame might be connected to his ongoing legal challenges in response to claims of assault against his former partner. No matter the reason, fans are undoubtedly disheartened by his absence from such a highly esteemed award.
Why Isn’t Ryan Giggs Managing Wales?
Giggs resigned from his role as Wales football manager before the start of the Qatar World Cup in 2022.
In a public statement, Giggs said: “After much consideration, I am standing down from my position as manager of the Wales men’s national team with immediate effect.
“It has been an honour and a privilege to manage my country, but it is only right that the Wales FA, the coaching staff and the players prepare for the tournament with certainty, clarification and without speculation around the position of their head coach.
“I do not want the country’s preparations for the World Cup to be affected, destabilised or jeopardised in any way by the continued interest around this case.
How Old Is Ryan Giggs?
He was born on November 29, 1973, making him 50 years old in 2023. Giggs retired from playing in 2014 and has since managed Wales’ national team, who qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1958.
Did Giggs Play For England?
Ryan Giggs played for the Wales national team 64 times. He was born in Cardiff to Welsh parents. However, he did represent England once at the schoolboy level in 1989.
Contrary to what many people think, Giggs never had the option to play for England’s national team. He was born in Cardiff to Welsh parents and didn’t move to England until he turned seven years old.
He did captain England schoolboys, but that was due to the fact that F.A. rules state that schoolboys must represent the country where they reside and not their country of birth. Once a player reaches a senior level, they are allowed to choose which country to represent.
Did Ryan Giggs Do Yoga?
Ryan Giggs has credited yoga as an essential part of his career, both during and after.
Giggs used the practice of yoga to help him improve flexibility, increase strength, and speed up recovery time after injury. He found that it also increased his concentration and focus on the pitch, helping him to play better football.
Giggs stated that he started yoga at the age of 29 because he kept getting hamstring injuries. Doctors and the physios at Manchester United recommended the practice, and Giggs said it had a big effect and it helped him carry on playing until he was 40.
