A video of Paul Scholes absolutely running the show against France at Euro 2004 is still mesmerising to watch 16 years on.
England arrived at Euro 2004 full of optimism with the 'Golden Generation' which had added an 18-year-old Wayne Rooney to the ranks.
Their opening game of the tournament came against France and it ended in a 2-1 loss - but Scholes still managed to leave his mark.
The Manchester United midfielder was played on the left to accommodate Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in central midfield, but he still stole the show for the Three Lions.
Scholes showcased his marvelous passing ability as well as helping his side drive forward against a stubborn French defence.
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Sven-Goran Eriksson's side took the lead through Lampard in the first half before Zinedine Zidane scored a free-kick and penalty for 'Les Bleus' in the second half to secure a stunning victory.
Scholes departed the field with just less than 15 minutes to go after suffering a knock and you have to wonder if his departure helped France get back in the game.
Fans have reacted to the individual highlights and they think Scholes showed his true class at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal.
Scholes is often regarded as one of the greatest midfielders ever and one man who has been full of praise in the past is Zidane himself.
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The duo came across one another for club and country over the years and Zidane once said of Scholes per The Guardian: "My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder. Scholes is undoubtedly the greatest midfielder of his generation."
Praise for a central midfielder cannot come in a greater form than that.
Featured Image Credit: @Hxnz99/TwitterTopics: Paul Scholes, Football News, Football, Manchester United, England, France
