Ryan Giggs tributes pour in from Cristiano Ronaldo, Eric Cantona and more at lifetime achievement award ceremony

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The glittering ceremony for Ryan Giggs's lifetime achievement award was hailed by Sir Alex Ferguson as the 'most special night at Manchester United in many years' as football's greats queued up to leave touching tributes to the Premier League legend.

Giggs was presented with his award at Old Trafford on Thursday night, with his playing career looking like it is drawing to a close after 26 brilliant years.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Eric Cantona and David Beckham were among the club heroes to laud Giggs in special video messages, while the likes of Pele and Michel Platini also paid tribute to the Red Devils interim player-coach.

Scroll down to watch video of Ryan Giggs and United's award ceremony

Legends: Ryan Giggs (right) is presented with the Lifetime Achievement award by Sir Bobby Charlton

The 40-year-old Welshman will wait until after the club's final game against Southampton on Sunday to decide whether he will continue as a player, join the new manager's backroom staff or manage at another club. Louis van Gaal is widely expected to be announced as David Moyes' successor in the next week - and his arrival could determine the Welshman's future.

But his future was not imprtant on Thursday night, which was all about hailing Giggs's unparallelled career.

Ferguson, who was Giggs's boss for all but one of his years as a United player, said: 'No one in this club deserves the award better than you. Everyone will applaud and rightly so.

'What a career: all the games you've played, the trophies you've won, all the help you've given young people and the help you've given me and the coaching staff. I think your award tonight is the most special night at Manchester United in many years.'

Dream team: Sir Alex Ferguson paid tribute to his longest serving player at Old Trafford

Old pals: David Beckham delivers his video message as Giggs watches on stage

The greatest: Brazil legend Pele also sent Giggs his own message ahead of the World Cup this summer

Real Madrid superstar and United great Ronaldo also sent a message to his former team-mate. 'It was a pleasure for me to play with you,' he said. 'It was an unbelievable feeling to play with you at 18-years-old, I learnt a lot with you.'

Eric Cantona, perhaps the most influential player during Giggs' entire career at Old Trafford, said: 'You have been a great team-mate and a great friend and a great example for everyone. I hope you have a great life after your career as a player: in football as a manager, or whatever.'

Another of Giggs's most high-profile former team-mates, David Beckham, was happy to poke fun at Giggs as well as hail him. 'You're an amazing servant for the game and more importantly an amazing servant for Manchester United,' said the former England captain. 'I can believe you're still playing at 40-years-old because you had Phil Neville doing all your running and me on the other side playing not bad balls to you!'

Mark Hughes, now Stoke City manager, and Bryan Robson were two senior players at United when Giggs made his debut in March 1991. Hughes was quick to point out that Giggs's strike in the Manchester derby should have been awarded as an own goal.

'Pleasure to have the opportunity to play with you,' said Hughes. 'I always remember that first game when you came on as a skinny 17-year-old and scored the winner, which you didn't touch by the way.'

The big winner: David de Gea (centre) is presented with the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award by interim United manager Giggs (right) and auction winner Steven Cross (left)

Hostess with the mostess: Hayley McQueen addresses the audience at Old Trafford

In focus: The man of the moment poses for the cameras before the big bash at Old Trafford

Robson, now an ambassador at Old Trafford said: 'Before you pack in you'll probably overtake Sir Alex (Ferguson) with the amount of awards and medals you've won. Nobody deserves it more than you.'

Giggs is one of the famed Class of '92 at United, who went on to great things after winning the FA Youth Cup that year. A less celebrated member of that team was Robbie Savage, who was released by the club but forged a top-flight career with Leicester and Derby, among others. And the now Match of the Day pundit had a cheeky message for Giggs.

'We know the real story of the FA Youth Cup - you took my place!' he joked. 'That could have been me in that dugout, that could have been me as the most decorated player in Premier League history. Gutted!'

Another MOTD star, Gary Lineker, said: 'You're the only player still going in the Premier League who I played against - so that makes me feel slightly less old than I actually am. Thanks for that.'

Former Italy and Juventus forward Alessandro Del Piero summed up the feeling by addressing Giggs simply as 'Legend'.

And Pele, arguably the greatest footballer of all time, joined in the plaudits. 'My friend Giggs, good luck to you,' he said. 'You are an example for players and people who play our game. One day we're going to play together.'

A clearly emotional Giggs told the audience at the ceremony: 'I'm not usually an emotional person. But this has touched me. To receive this Lifetime Achievement is something special, one of the most special awards I’ve ever received.

'This club touches everyone’s heart; it's not only a club, it’s a family. So many special people have been a part of that, so for me to win this is emotional and it’s a special night for me.

'I’ve played with so many great players who have had a massive impact on me, and of course Sir Alex Ferguson, who has been the single biggest influence on my career. I’m a lucky man.'