Having won 10 Premier League titles, three FA Cups, two League Cups, two Champions Leagues and five FA Community Shields, Paul Scholes’ passion for Manchester United is unmistakable. He made a winning return to the team last season, but will his decision to put his boots back on prove to be the right one? Let’s look at other athletes who have come back with contrasting fortunes…

Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan retired from basketball in 1993. While he cited a lack of desire and ambition after leading the Chicago Bulls to three championships, it was suggested the decision was based on the recent murder of his father. Jordan returned to basketball in 1995 and led the Chicago Bulls to three more championship titles. He was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2009 and his website declared him “…the greatest basketball player of all time.”

Lance Armstrong
Cycling legend Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996 at just 25 years old, with a survival chance of less than 40%. Two years later, however, he returned to the sport and won seven Tour de France titles, creating a rivalry with Jan Ullrich that is considered one of the greatest conflicts in the history of the sport.

kim clijsters
At 24, Kim Clijsters retired from professional tennis in 2007 after winning three Grand Slams and being a finalist in four more. She stated that her health and her private family life were more important to her as she was constantly plagued by injuries. After becoming a mother in 2008, she returned to the sport the following year winning the US Open in 2009 and 2010 and the Australian Open title in 2011. She now has a tournament total of 41 singles titles. WTA and 11 WTA doubles titles and is the only mother to have won a major title since Yvonne Goolagong in 1980.

Michael Schumacher
Few people have dominated his sport like Michael Schumacher did. Not only has Schumacher won the World Championship an unprecedented seven times, but he continues to hold many driver records, including most race wins, fastest laps, pole positions, points scored and most race wins in one race. single season (13). He became the only driver in Formula One history to finish in the top three in every race in a season and later also broke the record for most consecutive podium finishes. Having retired in 2007, two years later he returned to the Sauber Mercedes team, but his previous success has eluded him. Last season he failed to record a podium place and finished 316 points behind eventual winner Sebastian Vettel.

Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson broke into boxing by becoming the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles. His sports career came to a halt in 1992 when, after a high-profile trial, he served three years in prison for rape. Tyson made a number of comebacks but lost his heavyweight crowns to Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis. Despite earning more than $300 million during his boxing career, he filed for bankruptcy in 2003.

So was Paul Scholes’ decision the right one? As a football PR agency, we’d love to hear his thoughts – tweet us @ENSLtdsportPR