Here are some facts you need to know about Ryan Giggs
Ryan Giggs (Full Name – Ryan Joseph Giggs) is a former Welsh forward born on 29 November 1973 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. His father’s name is Danny Wilson and mother is Lynne Giggs. He has a brother – Rhodri Giggs.
Childhood
Ryan Giggs’ father also played rugby league while in school. He spent much of his childhood with his paternal grandfather who was from Sierra Leone.
When he was 6 years old, his father moved to Swinton in Salford, Greater Manchester. Giggs started playing for ‘Deans FC’ and was recommended for Manchester City. He was signed for their ‘School of Excellence’ but continued to play for ‘Salford Boys.’
He captained the team and also scored a hat-trick against the Manchester United Under- 15 team the same year. He went on to captain the English schoolboy-level team against Germany in 1989.
In May 1991, Ryan made his debut for the Welsh ‘Under-21’ team in a victory over Poland. In October 1991, he played in a match against Germany, which made him the youngest player to play for the senior team of Wales, at the age of 17.
Career
In December 1990, Ryan Giggs was signed by Manchester United and made his debut as a substitute against Everton in March 1991. In May 1991, he scored his first goal for the club against Manchester City.
Although he became a first-team regular for the 1991–92 season, Ryan continued with the youth system and captained the team to lift the 1992 FA Youth Cup. He won his first individual prize when the club won over ‘Nottingham Forest’ in the ‘League Cup Final.’
Giggs helped Man Utd secure their first top-division title in 26 years. By 1995, ‘The Red Devils’ had a new set of players, including David Beckham and Phil Neville. In the 1998–1999 season, he was named the ‘Man of the Match’ for the game against ‘Palmeiras’ to lift the ‘Intercontinental Cup.’
He became the longest-serving player of the team in 2002 and played a pivotal role in his team’s treble triumph in 1999. He signed a five-year extension of his contract and celebrated 10 years with the club in 2001.
Ryan scored his 100th goal for the club in a draw against ‘Chelsea.’ From being a player and coach, he went on to become the assistant manager of Man Utd from 2014 to 2016. In late 2018, he took over as the manager of the Welsh national team.
Awards & Achievements
- 13X PREMIER LEAGUE
- 2X UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
- 4X FA CUP
- 4X EFL CUP
- 1X FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP
- 1X INTERCONTINENTAL CUP
- 1X UEFA SUPER CUP
- 9X FA COMMUNITY SHIELD
Personal Life
Ryan Giggs married Stacey Cooke in September 2007, and they had two children. The couple officially divorced in 2017.
He hosted his own TV series called ‘Ryan Giggs’ Soccer Skills,’ which later had a book based on it. He became an ambassador for the UNICEF and participated in various projects of the organization to promote welfare of children.