While Manchester United fans are slavering over sparkling new signing Cristiano Ronaldo, let them not forget the man who has made so many things possible at Old Trafford.
While many about him are hailed as heroes, the little ginger scamp known as Paul Scholes is described as an "industrious" worker. He is often referred to as a "master of the through-ball" and... wait for it... "a ginger prince". He is frequently named man of the match, yet rarely gets a mention in headlines. In just over a week, he (a midfielder) has scored a penalty against Arsenal in the Charity Shield and a goal against Bolton in the first game of the Premiership.
But not for him the traditional celebration of sliding across the pitch on his knees with his shirt over his head or making out with the corner flag. No, after tapping the ball past a flouncing Arsenal goalie, he merely grins. And after scoring against Bolton, he makes a (barely visible) thumbs-up sign and... grins.
Scholes is shy of the media and leads (in footballing terms) a modest life with his wife and two kids. But just because the papers aren't falling over themselves to discover whether he's sporting pigtails or peroxide or wearing something that's not strictly menswear, it doesn't mean he's not partial to a little bit of footballerism now and then. He was the first England player to get sent off at Wembley (in the Euro 2000 qualifier against Sweden) and reportedly refused to play in 2001's Worthington Cup game against Arsenal. Oh, and he snapped up a £1m villa in the Arabian Gulf on the way to the last World Cup.
Scholes - oh, go on then, Scholesy - is up against Real Madrid's Zinedine Zidane for UEFA best midfielder 2003 on August 28. I wonder who will win.