According to a report by BBC Sport on Saturday, November 7, 2026, former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed his favourite player in Premier League history, despite Cristiano Ronaldo's impressive achievements during his time at Old Trafford.

Ferguson chose Ryan Giggs because of his long career, consistency and important contributions to Manchester United's success over the years.

Since the Premier League Hall of Fame was established in 2021, 14 current and former players have received the honour. Some of the biggest names in English football, including Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer, were among the first players to be inducted.

Ronaldo, who won the Premier League Player of the Season award in 2007 and 2008, scored 103 league goals for Manchester United. He is also expected to become part of the prestigious group in the future.

Giggs, on the other hand, won the Premier League title 13 times and holds the record for the most assists in the competition's history with 162. However, his name is rarely mentioned alongside possible future Hall of Fame inductees such as Harry Kane and Mohamed Salah.

Giggs has not yet been inducted because he is not officially retired from professional football. Although no official reason has been given for his absence, BBC Sport suggested that issues surrounding his personal life could have affected his chances.

When asked about not being included, Giggs said he was not worried about the situation. He explained that individual awards had never been his main focus, as winning matches and collecting trophies were always more important to him.

Ferguson had previously described Giggs as one of only four truly world-class players he managed at Manchester United. The former United manager also rated the Welshman above every other player five years before retiring in 2009.

Although Ferguson recognised the contributions of other great players, he maintained that Giggs' remarkable career made him his number one choice when discussing the greatest Premier League player.

Explaining his decision, Ferguson said: "Nobody can boast the same sort of longevity and consistency."