“He’s had a good game and I’m happy for him, but I’ll take that invite. Tea, no sugar please @lisandromartinezzz”, Paul Scholes officially accepts the Man Utd star’s challenge for a face-to-face showdown following the 2-0 derby win
The Passing of the Baton: Scholes Accepts the Audacious Invite of a Manchester United Heir
In the hallowed, often sepulchral halls of Manchester United’s post-Ferguson history, where legends of yesteryear sometimes seem like ghosts haunting a present that can’t quite live up to their past, a simple, extraordinary social media exchange has sparked a flame of something rarely seen: playful, public, and profound recognition between eras. Following a seismic 2-0 victory over Manchester City—a result that felt less like three points and more like a reclamation of identity—a young architect of that triumph extended a cheeky, confident invitation into the pantheon. And from the shadows of that pantheon, a legend has not just acknowledged the call, but has accepted it with a wry, dry wit that is utterly his own.
The instigator was Lisandro Martínez, the embodiment of United’s restored defiant spirit. After a performance of warrior-like tenacity and pinpoint distribution that helped dismantle City, the Argentine centre-back took to Instagram. In a move that blended respect with audacious self-belief, he posted a celebratory image with a caption that was both a statement and a challenge to one of the greatest passers the English game has ever seen: **”Waiting for my invite to the Paul Scholes passing academy…”**
The response was not long in coming, and it was perfect. **”He’s had a good game and I’m happy for him, but I’ll take that invite. Tea, no sugar please @lisandromartinezzz”**, replied Paul Scholes, the shy maestro of the Class of ‘92, whose own social media presence is as understated and effective as his famed half-volleys.
This is far more than a viral moment. It is a symbolic passing of the baton, wrapped in the warm, dry humor of a club legend and the bristling confidence of its new standard-bearer.
Deconstructing the Invite: Martínez’s Audacious Claim to a Legacy
Martínez’s post was a masterclass in modern footballing psychology. By invoking Scholes, he wasn’t just paying a compliment; he was situating his own performance within a specific, revered lineage of United excellence. He wasn’t saying he was *like* Scholes—a comparison impossible for a defender—but he was staking a claim to a share of the same fundamental United principle: **technical supremacy as a non-negotiable.**
His performance against City was defined by passes that cut through lines, by composure that defied pressure, and by an ambition in possession that transformed defence into attack. The “Scholes passing academy” is a metaphorical institution of those who treat the ball with reverence and use it as a weapon. In referencing it, Martínez was demonstrating an understanding of the club’s deeper values, showing that his mentality is aligned not just with the present manager’s tactics, but with the club’s historic soul. It was the confidence of a player who knows he has arrived, not just at United, but at a level where he can playfully engage with its gods.
Scholes’s Response: The Dry Approval of a Perfectionist
Scholes’s reply is a minor masterpiece of tone. The opening clause—**”He’s had a good game and I’m happy for him”**—is the necessary, slightly detached preface from a man who witnessed and contributed to decades of supremacy. It’s the equivalent of a nod from the head of the table. The legendary midfielder, known for his brutally high standards and aversion to hype, offers measured praise.
But then comes the killer line: **”but I’ll take that invite.”** With four words, he validates the entire premise. He accepts Martínez into the conversation. He acknowledges that the invitation to his mythical “academy” is one worth extending. The specificity of **”Tea, no sugar please”** is the quintessential Scholes touch—understated, precise, and dripping with the dry, northern humor that cuts through any pretension. It grounds this momentous symbolic exchange in the everyday, suggesting the “academy” might just be a chat over a brew, where the real lessons are passed on.
The Bigger Picture: A Moment of Cultural Reset
This exchange resonates so powerfully because it feels like a crack in the ice that has long separated United’s glorious past from its turbulent present. For years, comments from legends like Scholes, Roy Keane, or Gary Neville have often felt like critiques from a distant shore, highlighting what the current side lacks. Here, for the first time in perhaps a decade, the interaction is one of *recognition* and *inclusion*.
Scholes isn’t critiquing; he’s welcoming. Martínez isn’t shying away from the shadow of history; he’s stepping into its light and asking for a seat. It signals that the current incarnation of United, at its best, is starting to produce performances and personalities that the old guard can not only respect but engage with on their own terms.
It is a signal that the standards of technical excellence, bravery in possession, and a fighting spirit—the very standards Scholes embodied—are being met on the pitch at Old Trafford once more. The professor has agreed to a tutorial. And for Manchester United fans, that simple agreement over a cup of unsweetened tea might just taste sweeter than any trophy. It tastes like a club rediscovering its soul, one precise, audacious pass—and one perfectly delivered tweet—at a time.
