Ryan Giggs' retirement has not come as a surprise, but the Manchester United assistant manager's decision to end a 23-year playing career is still surreal for generations who have grown up watching him.
Ryan Giggs' Manchester United kits
(01 of48)
Starting out in Adidas, 1991-92
(02 of48)
Acidic adidas, 1991-92
(03 of48)
An Umbro debut, 1992
(04 of48)
Home laces, 1993-94
(05 of48)
Green and gold, 1992-94
(06 of48)
The man in black, 1993-95
(07 of48)
Away with the laces, 1994-96
(08 of48)
Blue and white's alright, 1994-96 (credit:PA)
(09 of48)
A rare image of the awful and cursed grey kit, 1995-96
(10 of48)
Buttoned up, 1996-98
(11 of48)
One of Umbro's best, but short-lived United kits, 1996-97
(12 of48)
A questionable blue and black contrast, 1997-98
(13 of48)
A nice look, but the collars on this Umbro effort flapped no matter how much ironing was put in, 1997-99
(14 of48)
The European kit. Classy but commercial, 1997-2000
(15 of48)
Umbro pay homage to the 70s, 1998-00
(16 of48)
The underrated black kit - with lemon piping, as Partridge might quip, 1998-99
(17 of48)
An itchy fabric marred another questionable Umbro blue effort, 1999-00
(18 of48)
New century, new home kit, 2000-02
(19 of48)
Umbro's airy effort, 2000-01
(20 of48)
Umbro underwhelm in blue/navy again, 2000-01
(21 of48)
The reversible centenary kit - white...
(22 of48)
Gold, 2001-02
(23 of48)
The Nike age, 2002-04
(24 of48)
It started so well under Nike, 2002-03
(25 of48)
A tribute to the 1968 European Cup win, this would look familiar five years later, 2002-03
(26 of48)
Black brilliance, 2003-05
(27 of48)
Lines, 2003-05
(28 of48)
The beginning of Nike's downfall, 2004-06
(29 of48)
Another bad blue effort, 2005-06
(30 of48)
A homage to the Busby Babes, although that gold lining's unnecessary, 2006-07
(31 of48)
Working up a sweat in white, 2006-07
(32 of48)
Same kit, different sponsor, 2006-07
(33 of48)
A PE kit effort from Nike, 2007-09
(34 of48)
Back in black, 2007-08
(35 of48)
A one off, but this is how every kit should look, 2008
(36 of48)
Look familiar?, 2008-09
(37 of48)
The terrible Team GB look, 2008-10
(38 of48)
Chevron, 2009-10
(39 of48)
Black and blue failing again, 2009-10
(40 of48)
A passable homage to the 80s strip, 2010-11
(41 of48)
The NFL look, 2010-11
(42 of48)
Change of sponsor, 2010-11 (credit:Getty Images)
(43 of48)
2011-12
(44 of48)
More black and blue badness, 2011-12
(45 of48)
Gingham style, 2012-13
(46 of48)
Smart, despite the Topman slit, 2012-13
(47 of48)
Collared again, 2013-14 (credit:PA)
(48 of48)
Blackened blue gingham, 2013-14 (credit:Getty Images)