Paul Scholes hates the limelight. The man who Sir Bobby Charlton says is his favourite player at Manchester United is old school; home and family first, football and United a close second, the celebrity game and pleasing people off the pitch absolutely nowhere.
In his 17-year career, he has largely kept his own counsel, not wanting, needing nor caring about the constant scrutiny directed at David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Scholes is the player who left the jubilant Champions League celebrations in Moscow a year ago to sit by himself on the team coach, claiming: 'I wanted to go home, I didn't want to hang around.'
He is the man who sees no reason why he should not play football and still lead an ordinary life. 'I do enjoy a night out like other lads, you know. I suppose I just get away with it,' is his modest explanation.
Scholes rarely gives interviews, but when he does it is always worth listening. And as the most talented midfield player of his generation prepares for Manchester United's Champions League final against Barcelona on Wednesday night, he seems almost relieved to get a few things off his chest; concern about his recent form, uncertainty over his future and pessimism about what his role will be in Rome.
Just over 12 months ago, Scholes was the man who broke Barcelona's hearts in a tension-packed Champions League semi-final at Old Trafford. On that night, he overshadowed both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi by scoring a magnificent winner, the only goal of the two legs.
But instead of looking forward with unabridged enthusiasm to Wednesday night's 'dream final' between Europe's two glamour clubs in Rome, Scholes is reflecting on a season in which he has lost his status as an automatic choice and has collected nearly as many red cards (two) as he has goals (three)
'Have I any ambitions left in the game? To get back in the team,' says Scholes with a typical glimpse of black humour. 'The manager hasn't said anything to me about playing in the final. My gut instinct is that I probably won't, I don't think many people think I'll start after not playing in either of the semi-finals or against City. But you never know, we'll have to see.'
His philosophical outlook should fool no-one. Scholes is finding that, at 34, the business of playing football is getting no easier. The man who was a member of United's golden generation of Beckham, Gary Neville, Nicky Butt and Ryan Giggs - the team who won the FA Youth Cup in 1992 - talks candidly about the frustration of finding that on some days the body seems unwilling to drive him on.
'I don't seem to get forward, I know I don't get forward, as much as I used to,' he says. 'And I don't have the goalscoring chances that I used to, which is frustrating. It bothers me, of course it does. You want to contribute as much as you can and there is no bigger way than scoring goals.
'Not playing every week is an adjustment you don't like. You train all week and you want to play games.
'I think there is a time when you have to accept you won't play every week especially with the quality of midfielders we have. You just have to make sure you are ready yourself when the manager wants you to play. It is more a physical thing than a mental thing, definitely. But some days the legs don't seem to want to do what the mind is telling them.'
Scholes has mixed Champions League memories. Along with Roy Keane, he was suspended for the dramatic 1999 final against Bayern Munich that United won 2-1 with two goals in the last minute.
'That was difficult,' he recalls. 'You are happy because your club have won, but it is not the same as playing yourself.'