Sir Alex Ferguson is the most successful manager of all time. In almost 27 years spent in charge of Manchester United, the Scotsman delivered 38 trophies to Old Trafford. Among them are a record 13 Premier League titles, alongside two Champions League crowns, five FA Cups, with one of each forming part of the iconic 1999 treble.

To do all of that, he needed great players, and across three decades, he worked with some of the finest the sport has ever produced. Ferguson made a living out of coaxing the best from elite talents while making sure no individual ever felt bigger than the team.

You had the instinctive brilliance of Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke up front, and the relentless Wayne Rooney. Peter Schmeichel was arguably the finest goalkeeper the Premier League ever saw, and Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic’s partnership set records that may never be beaten.

Yet for all the extraordinary talent that passed through Old Trafford during his tenure, Ferguson himself has always been quite specific about how many of those players he would truly describe as world-class. His answer, perhaps surprisingly, is just four.

Alex Ferguson’s World-Class Four

Writing in his 2015 book, Ferguson was characteristically direct on the subject: “If you read the papers or listen to the television commentators, we seem to be awash with ‘world-class’ footballers,” he wrote.

Eric Cantona’s inclusion will surprise nobody. The Frenchman arrived at Old Trafford in 1992 and transformed the club almost overnight, bringing a belief and a swagger that had been missing for years. Cantona’s tenure at United was the shortest of the players on Ferguson’s list, spending only four and a half years at Old Trafford before his shock retirement in 1997.

Ronaldo’s inclusion is equally straightforward. The Portuguese arrived at United as a skinny, flashy teenager from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 and left six years later as arguably the best player on the planet. Under Ferguson’s guidance, he was transformed from a player of extraordinary raw talent into a complete and devastating goal machine.

Ronaldo won three Premier League titles, a Champions League, a Ballon d’Or, scoring 118 goals in 292 appearances for the club, and a manager who put him on the map. Ferguson rating Ronaldo alongside Lionel Messi as the only two truly ‘world-class’ players of their era is a view shared by almost every football fan on earth.

But it’s the two British names on Ferguson’s list that demand particular attention. Both Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, players who came through the club’s own academy, were also elevated by Ferguson to the same level as two of the greatest footballers the sport has ever seen.

Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs: Britain’s Best

Scholes is one of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history, and his career numbers reflect a player oozing consistency and quality. He made over 700 appearances for the club he supported as a boy, scoring more than 150 goals, a fantastic return for a player whose primary role was to sit deep and control the tempo. He was there for an incredible 11 of United’s 13 Premier League wins.

Giggs, who clocked up almost three decades of service at the Red Devils, was a constant across every era of Ferguson’s reign. The Welshman evolved and reinvented himself across multiple generations of United teams and won every trophy Ferguson claimed during the Premier League era. Giggs holds the record for the most appearances for club, with 963. It’s a record that won’t be broken any time soon.

For Ferguson to place both men in the same category as Messi and Ronaldo is a statement that carries enormous weight. Coming from a man who spent almost 30 years working alongside the very best, it’s perhaps the greatest compliment either player could ever receive.

Tennis throughout the modern era has largely been defined by four legendary figures. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray collectively dominated the ATP rankings, with the quartet controlling the world No. 1 position continuously from 2004 until 2022.

With that in mind, here is a closer look at the remarkable impact and achievements of tennis’ most dominant generation.

Tennis’ Big Four

Roger Federer

Roger Federer is widely viewed as one of the most naturally gifted players the sport has ever produced. The Swiss icon captured 20 Grand Slam singles crowns during his career, including a men’s record eight Wimbledon titles.

Celebrated for his fluid movement, attacking style, and consistency across every surface, Federer spent 310 weeks as world No. 1. His influence on the game extends beyond trophies, with his professionalism and popularity helping elevate tennis globally.

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal established himself as the greatest clay-court player in tennis history, collecting 22 Grand Slam singles titles overall. Fourteen of those victories came at the French Open, a record unlikely to be matched.

Renowned for his relentless intensity and fighting spirit, Nadal spent more than 200 weeks ranked No. 1 in the world. His unforgettable battles with Federer and Djokovic defined an iconic era for the sport.

Andy Murray

Andy Murray may not have matched the Slam totals of his rivals, but the Brit firmly earned his place among tennis’ elite. Murray won three Grand Slam singles titles, including two memorable triumphs at Wimbledon, ending Britain’s decades-long wait for a home men’s champion. He also held the world No. 1 ranking for 41 weeks.

Throughout his career, Murray became admired for his resilience, defensive skill, and ability to compete against some of the greatest players ever seen.

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic has built one of the most decorated careers the sport has ever witnessed. The Serbian superstar has claimed 24 Grand Slam singles titles, the highest tally in men’s tennis, while also winning seven Wimbledon crowns. Djokovic additionally holds the record for the most weeks spent as world No. 1, highlighting his sustained excellence over multiple eras. Even in the latter stages of his career, he continues to compete at the very highest level.

Tim Henman’s Tennis GOAT

He faced every member of the Big Four during his career

Prior to the dominance of the Big Four, British tennis fans looked to Tim Henman as the nation’s leading figure on the ATP Tour. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Henman became one of Britain’s most recognisable athletes and later inspired the next generation, including Andy Murray. Throughout his career, he also had the opportunity to compete against each member of the Big Four.

Henman once reflected on those experiences, discussing which player he believed possessed the most complete all-round game while also revealing his choice for the greatest male player ever.

Speaking with talkSPORT, Henman explained why Federer stood out to him as the most complete opponent.

“For me, Federer was the most complete player that I ever played against. I played Federer the most and I felt that he had the most complete game, he could play on any surface, had very few weaknesses, and there wasn’t a specific area that you could necessarily attack.”

Despite praising Federer’s all-around ability, Henman ultimately believes another member of the Big Four deserves the title of the greatest player ever.

“I only played Djokovic once when he was young. I think sort of 18, 19, and his game was developing then. He didn’t serve quite so well, but it’s been incredible to see how all their games evolved over time.

Tottenham Hotspur are planning to ensure they are not in another relegation battle next season, and Roberto De Zerbi is eyeing a raid on his former club to make it happen.

The Lilywhites secured their survival with a win over Everton on the final day of the campaign, sending West Ham into the Championship and cementing the future of a number of top players at the club. But the manager is keen to strengthen the squad, and bring in players to suit his tactical needs.

The best way for him to do that quickly is to sign players he has worked with previously, and it has now emerged that the Italian is taking a close look at some former players ahead of the summer window.

Tottenham Eyeing Baleba Transfer Hijack

According to a report by Miguel Delaney, Tottenham are eyeing a move to sign Brighton midfield sensation Carlos Baleba this summer.

Baleba, who has been described as ‘world-class’, has been strongly linked with a move away from the AMEX Stadium this summer, with Man Utd understood to be strong suitors for his signature. In fact, it has been reported that Baleba already has a verbal agreement over a move to Old Trafford.

However, De Zerbi is hopeful of hijacking that move by entering the race for his former midfielder, and using his relationship with the player to convince him to move to north London instead.

The Cameroon international won’t be cheap, however, with Brighton understood to be demanding around £100m for his services, as they look to keep their squad strong following qualification for the Conference League next season.

Tottenham are prepared to back De Zerbi fully this summer, but there is an acceptance that it will be difficult for them to do that. However, De Zerbi views Baleba as one of ‘his players’, and feels there is a deal there than can be done.

Baleba Would Be Perfect Tottenham Addition

Tottenham were seriously lacking with their squad this season when it came to having the legs and fitness to stop opposing teams hurting them, and there aren’t many better at combating that problem than Baleba.

The 22-year-old is quick, strong, and has great for for growth, which makes him the absolutely perfect signing for what Spurs are looking to build going forward. But they face a huge ask convincing him to join.

Not only is the transfer fee likely to be huge, but Man Utd have an agreement in place and he has been desperate to make that switch since last year. If anyone can convince him to change it’s mind, it’s likely to be De Zerbi, but it won’t be easy.