Manchester United one-club man Ryan Giggs receives award from Athletic Bilbao
Ryan Giggs has been awarded Athletic Club’s ‘one-club man’ prize in recognition of his loyalty and commitment to Manchester United.
The award was established by the Bilbao club in 2015 to commend those who spent the entirety of their playing careers with one team.
Athletic famously only sign players who hail from the Basque region and therefore rely heavily on players developed through their youth system staying long-term.
Giggs joins Southampton’s Matt Le Tissier, Milan’s Paolo Maldini, Bayern Munich’s Sepp Maier, Barcelona’s Carles Puyol, Umea’s Malin Mostrom and Celtic’s Billy McNeill in being recognised for the award.
“Ryan Giggs was a club player par excellence,” Athletic’s official website said. “Few legends of the game have demonstrated better respect for the values of football than Manchester United’s one-club man.”
Recipients of the award are commended for five ‘key values’ – loyalty, commitment, responsibility, sportsmanship and respect – which Athletic consider “attached to their identity”.
Giggs, now the manager of Wales, is expected to travel to Bilbao and accept the award on the San Mames pitch when possible.
The award is traditionally presented by Jose Angel Iribar, Athletic’s longest-serving player, and the youngest player in Athletic’s Lezama academy.
Giggs made 963 appearances for United over the course of a playing career which lasted for 24 years and scored 168 goals.
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