NEW DELHI: Manchester United legends Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes have angered Indian fans by failing to turn out for a futsal tournament in which they billed as the star attractions.
The Hindu newspaper said the pair were “understood to be ‘tired’ ” on their arrival in Bangalore for the event on Tuesday.
Scholes, 42, is meant to be captain of the Bangalore team and Giggs, 43, for Mumbai in the Premier Futsal tournament.
Scholes did participate in the Mumbai leg of the tournament on Saturday. But the pair were not even on the bench for the first game in Bangalore and fans were not impressed.
With the tickets priced as high as $156, including a “meet and greet session with the legends”, disgruntled fans were quick to dismiss the event as a money-making exercise.
“The tickets I bought were for 2,000 rupees ($31) a day. I am not wasting any more of my time here,” one disappointed fan was quoted as saying.
“They don’t even have the courtesy to announce that the two aren’t playing.”
Spokespersons for the event confirmed the absence of the former Manchester United greats, but made no further immediate comment.
The futsal tournament, now into its second edition, has six teams with five players each locking horns in an indoor version of football.
Former stars Ronaldinho of Brazil and Argentina’s Hernan Crespo are also part of the event which will move to Dubai next week.
Giggs enjoyed a remarkable career with Manchester United between 1990 and 2014, netting 168 goals in 963 appearances.
