Ryan Giggs has spoken for the first time on being snubbed by the Premier League’s Hall of Fame.
Giggs, 51, is the top flight’s most decorated footballer having won 13 titles during his 24-year spell in Manchester United’s first team.
The winger, who also won 64 caps for Wales and played for Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics, earned legendary status at United and subsequently spent three years coaching at the club.
Giggs was then appointed as Wales boss in 2018 but his career was thrown into chaos in November 2020 after being arrested on suspicion of two counts of assault against his ex-girlfriend, Kate Greville, and her younger sister, Emma. Giggs always denied the charges.
The winger was cleared of assaulting Greville, who declined to co-operate with a retrial, in 2023. Giggs was also cleared on further counts of coercive or controlling behaviour against her and common assault against Emma.
Since those allegations emerged, Giggs’ name has been conspicuously absent from the Premier League’s Hall of Fame, which was launched in 2020 before its first inductions took place in 2021.
Ryan Giggs has broken his silence on being snubbed by the Premier League’s Hall of Fame
Despite being the Premier League’s most decorated player, Giggs is not among the inductees
He was arrested on suspicion of two counts of assault against his ex-girlfriend, Kate Greville, and her younger sister, Emma in 2020. He denied the charges and was subsequently cleared
It aims to recognise and honour players and managers that have achieved great success and made a significant contribution to the Premier League, with 22 players and two managers inducted so far.
And, speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents to his former United colleague, Giggs was pressed on whether the snub is something that plays on his mind.
‘Not really,’ Giggs said. ‘No, I mean, I don’t think about it until you just brought it up. I don’t think about it.
‘I think when you start off, you don’t… These are the things that you’re not striving for. You’re striving off to win games and try and win trophies. That’s the most important thing for me.’
Giggs asked Ferdinand whether he had made the list, with the former defender explaining how he was inducted in 2023.
‘Now I am upset,’ Giggs joked. ‘Now I am… Jeez, what’s going on? I’m going to look at the list now when I go home.’
He then aimed a cheeky dig at another former United defender in Gary Neville as he added: ‘Is Nev on it?.
Ferdinand then replied: ‘No, I don’t think Nev’s on it yet. He’ll get on it soon. He’ll talk his way into it, won’t he?’
Giggs was appearing on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, which went live on Friday April 25
Ferdinand is among the 22 legendary players and two managers inducted into the Hall of Fame
Giggs also made a joke at Gary Neville’s expense when discussing the 22 playing inductees
Ferdinand then broached the question of how Giggs would like himself to be remembered by fans amid all the trouble he has faced in recent years.
Giggs explained: ‘I did want to entertain. I wanted to entertain in training. I wanted to entertain myself.
‘So I wanted to… At United, you’ve got to win. But at the same time, if you can entertain and try things – you know, try little nutmegs, try little tricks, try and take players on…’
Meanwhile, after being cleared of the charges, Giggs’ lawyer said the former United star was ‘deeply relieved’, adding he had ‘always been innocent’ and that ‘very, very many lies had been told about him in court.’ Giggs had formally resigned as Wales boss in 2022 when facing trial.
His status as a controversial figure has also risen following an eight-year affair he conducted with his brother Rhodri’s wife, Natasha, something that saw the 51-year-old ostracised from members of his family.
However, despite being cleared in 2023, Giggs has yet to return to football management.
He did return to the game as director of football of Salford City in 2024, a League Two club he co-owns with former United team-mates.
In November, Giggs – who also enjoyed a four-game stint as United’s interim manager in 2014 – was seen in the dugout assisting Salford boss Karl Robinson and he has continued to support him since.
Listen to the full Rio Meets Ryan Giggs interview on Apple Podcasts and Spotify from 6am, Friday 25th April.
