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Ryan Giggs now leads a vastly different life from his days as one of Manchester United's most celebrated players. The Premier League's most decorated footballer remains intrinsically linked with the Old Trafford outfit, yet he withdrew from public view in the years after hanging up his boots.
Giggs has been invited by his former Wales assistant Osian Roberts to watch United take on Como in the Champions League on Wednesday evening. Roberts, head of development at Cesc Fabregas' Italian club, is set to be reunited with his fellow Welshman.
Roberts told The Sun: “I’ve invited Ryan to the game and I’m delighted that he’s coming. We’re still in touch. I had a really good time with Ryan. It will be a nice couple of days with him. He’s going to come and watch the U19 game as well. And he’ll sit down with Cesc and have a coffee. So we’re looking forward to having him here.”
But Giggs remains a highly contentious figure, with his career assessed against a backdrop of private controversies, which some argue cast a shadow over his achievements on the field. Here, Express Sport has examined the man attempting to rebuild his life away from public scrutiny....
His latest involvement in football
Giggs' most recent participation in the sport was as director of football at Salford City, the League Two outfit he previously co-owned with his Class of '92 colleagues before a takeover in May of last year.
A fresh ownership group, spearheaded by Gary Neville and David Beckham, purchased the club from the original Class of '92 stakeholders and the former majority shareholder, Peter Lim.
While Giggs' director of football position was never formally confirmed, and he departed the club last year, he was a recognisable presence in the technical area in recent months, developing a strong professional bond with manager Karl Robinson, who has characterised his contribution as "outstanding".
The 10% shareholding he acquired in Salford in 2014 essentially offered him a route back into the game following his departure from Wales.
Club interviews and a Sky documentary showed him working on the training pitch and providing behind-the-scenes guidance, while his public standing gained further momentum when Salford took on Manchester City in the FA Cup.
This all follows years after domestic abuse allegations against him were dismissed. He was cleared after his former girlfriend, Kate Greville, chose not to provide testimony in a retrial and Giggs, who denied the charges, subsequently began reconstructing his career.
When addressing management and a possible return to the dugout, he stated: "I loved managing Wales, obviously. I do miss it, so hopefully."
Surprise news at 50 with new partner
Giggs, now 52, welcomed another child at the age of 50 after his girlfriend Zara Charles delivered their first baby together. The pair celebrated the arrival of a daughter, called Cora, on November 1 of 2024.
A representative for the ex-Manchester United legend confirmed: "Ryan and his partner Zara are delighted to announce the birth of their daughter, Cora Giggs, who was born on Friday, November 1.
"They extend their warmest gratitude to all the amazing staff, especially the midwives, at Wythenshawe Hospital."
Cora represents Giggs' third child. He already has two children - Zach, 20, who features for Sheffield United and Wales youth squads, and Libby, 24 - from his marriage to Stacey Cooke.
Zara, a 38-year-old lingerie model who has been romantically involved with Giggs since 2021, also has a daughter from an earlier relationship. The couple own a seven-bedroom home in Greater Manchester, which they purchased for around £2.1million.
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