Sir Alex Ferguson believes Ryan Giggs can eclipse the career of the legendary Italian Paolo Maldini before hanging up his boots.
The Manchester United winger will be making his 900th appearance if he plays some part in Thursday night's Europa League last-32 encounter with Ajax at Old Trafford.
Giggs has been playing at the highest level since 1991 when he made his league debut for United against Everton.
The immediate comparison is with Maldini.
His first-team career with AC Milan spanned 24 years and he also made 900 appearances; 902 to be exact, before he quit, in 2009, a month before his 41st birthday.
Yet even there Ferguson feels there is a subtle difference, he told the ">club's official website: "Obviously Maldini was a magnificent player but there is a distinction.
He was a defender and although in his case, he probably put in a lot of running as a full-back, wide players have more work to do.
"It is amazing really. If you go back to Moscow, you are talking almost another 150 games further on.
"
He keeps defying age.
This season he has just been the same as he was back in Moscow.
There is nothing changed from his performance level then as it is today."