Gary Neville, a former captain of Manchester United, has revealed that the club's acquisition of Rafael da Silva effectively put an end to his mental career at Old Trafford.

Having played for Manchester United for nearly twenty years and making 602 appearances, Neville is regarded as a club legend.

By 2008, when legendary coach Sir Alex Ferguson signed Rafael, his spot in Man United's starting lineup was anything but certain.

Rafael was a young, vibrant, and vivacious Brazilian full-back, and Neville could instantly see the end of his Man United career in front of him.

Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, Neville said, “I watched [Wes] Brown play a full season and win the Champions League."

“He’s a great lad, a brilliant player, and I was delighted for him. Of course, I wanted to be in the team. Of course, I wanted to be out there and be captain, but I was not.”

He added: “Then Rafael came into training. It was Rafael who actually finished my career mentally, in some ways, because I used to watch him in training, get close to players and snap into tackles, and then get up and get back out there again, and I could not get my legs forward. I thought, "I get it, I see it.”