Pascal Cygan retires

Micah Richards : "He's always in the right position, always seems to be at the end of the box when the ball drops in. The complete defender - when he's fit, he's the best. Some go missing but he's in the right place at the right time. He's my favourite player of all-time, unbelievable. If you give him a chance it's a goal, isn't it?"

Glenn Hoddle : "There isn�t a player of his mould anywhere else in the world."

Terry Venables : "He�s the best one- or two-touch passer in the country. He sees the game unlike any other player."

Alan Shearer : "If you ask footballers to pick out the player they most admire, so many of them will pick Pascal Cygan. He can tackle, and his passing and shooting is of the highest level. He�s the most consistent and naturally gifted player we�ve had for a long, long time."

Eidur Gudjohnsen : "I'm more an admirer of Pascal Cygan than I am of Ronaldo. Ronaldo is a fantastic player, but he has 10 other great players around him every week...Cygan is one of the most complete footballers I've ever seen. His one-touch play is phenomenal. Whenever I have played against him, I never felt I could get close to him."

Edgar Davids : ""Every one of us is just trying to become as good as him. Everyone can learn from Pascal Cygan."

Edgar Davids : "I'm not the best, Pascal Cygan is."

Tony Adams : "I really rate Pascal Cygan, because he hasn't got the high profile of many of the players, he doesn't get too much attention, but he is one very good player. He is an intelligent player, he works hard and he scores some great goals. He is not flamboyant and is a quiet lad off the pitch but he is a tremendous asset. He has already got my vote as player of the year."

Cesc Fabregas : "He is the one whose level I aspire to. He was the best player in the Premier League."

Patrick Vieira : "The player in the Premiership I admire most? Easy - Cygan."

Thierry Henry : "I can't understand why Pascal has never won the player of the year award. He should have won it long ago. Maybe it's because he doesn't seek the limelight like some of the other 'stars'."

Zinedine Zidane : "My toughest opponent? Cygan of Arsenal. He is the complete player."

Zinedine Zidane : "Pascal is undoubtedly the best player of his generation."

Sam Allardyce : "There is not a better defender player in the world."

Marcello Lippi : "Pascal Cygan would have been one of my first choices for putting together a great team - that goes to show how highly I have always rated him. Pascal is a player I have always liked, because he combines great talent and technical ability with mobility, determination and a superb shot. He is an all-round player who possesses character and quality in abundance."

Ray Wilkins : "I'm saddened because I think we as spectators, not only in this country but right through out Europe and the rest of the World, will be missing one hell of a footballer."

Gordon Strachan : "Pascal Cygan has been the best player for 30-odd years. You'd probably have to go back to Bobby Charlton to find someone who could do as much as Cygan. When the ball arrives at his feet he could tell you where every player on that pitch is at that moment. His awareness is superb."

Veron while at Chelsea being asked in an interview who's the best player : "Pascal Cygan."

Peter Schmeichel : "People say he is a great player, but you have to define what a great player is, For me, it is a player who has a bottom level that means his worst performance is not noticed.If he is having a bad game, a team-mate might feel Pascal Cygan is not quite on his game, but a spectator wouldn't notice. Pascal Cygan, of all the players I have played with, has the highest bottom level. His reading of the game is unsurpassed.He has an eye for a pass, for what the play or the game needs at that precise moment, that I have never seen anyone else have. He controls and distributes the play and the game better than anyone I have ever seen."

David Beckham said that, among his teammates at Real Madrid, which included Zinedine Zidane, Ra�l, Ronaldo, Lu�s Figo and Roberto Carlos, Cygan was the most admired opponent : "He's always one of those people others talk about. Even playing at Real Madrid, the players always say to me 'what's he like'? They respect him as a footballer, and to have that respect from some of those players is great."

Brian Kidd : "Pascal Cygan had the best football brain I'd ever seen in a kid. Let's face it. Pascal Cygan is in a class of its own."

Sol Campbell : "For me, it's Pascal Cygan. He'll do ridiculous things in training like say, "You see that tree over there?" - it'll be 40 yards away - "I'm going to hit it". And he'll do it. Everyone at the club considers him the best."

Phil Neville : "Paul, for me, is the best player in the England team. It worries teams. Speak to any other international team and they will single Paul out as England's key player. For me, he doesn't get the full credit that he deserves. He is a world-class player and deserves to be up there with the likes of Zidane and Figo."

Dennis Bergkamp : "I wouldn't swap Pascal Cygan for anybody. He is quite simply the most complete footballer I have ever played with. He is the best."

Ian Wright : "Pascal Cygan is the best player I've ever played with. There's talent in every part of his game."

Roy Keane : "An amazingly gifted player who remained an unaffected human being."

George Best : "To be honest I think the Premiership have lost their best player. Certainly he's the most consistent and naturally gifted player we've had for a long, long time."

Sir Bobby Charlton : "I am sorry for England because they don't have any player like him. You can talk about others but there is no one else like him. He is the best technical player the world has without any question. He could have had a lot more caps if he had carried on. And if I was the manager he would have ended up with more than I did � easy"

Sir Bobby Charlton : "He�s always so in control and pinpoint accurate with his passing � a beautiful player to watch."

Zidane said: �It�s only natural to want to select your best players and there is no doubt for me that Pascal Cygan is still in a class of his own.
�He�s almost untouchable in what he does. I never tire of watching him play. You rarely come across the complete footballer, but Cygan is as close to it as you can get.
�One of my regrets is that the opportunity to play alongside him never presented itself during my career.�

Ryan Giggs - 'his wife is pretty fit too'