FORMER Perth Glory, Sydney FC and Melbourne Heart star Richard Garcia will line-up against Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes in Michael Carrick’s testimonial match at Old Trafford.

The 35-year-old ex-Socceroo and Red Devils midfielder Carrick became friends at West Ham as teenagers almost 20 years ago, where they won the FA Youth Cup.

Two decades later it’s been confirmed the duo, who were groomsmen at each other’s weddings, will compete against each other on June 5 (AEST).

Carrick will lead the Manchester United title winning XI from 2008, while Garcia will have an All-Stars XI spot, in a side including Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, John Terry and Michael Owen as teammates.

“We were never far apart from each other for a long time,” Garcia told Fox Sports in March.

“When we left playing together at West Ham, he went to Spurs and [I went] to Colchester around the corner in London so that was easy.

“And then it was the same when he went to Manchester and me to Hull — it’s really close so we remained close.”

Garcia added: “We lived together back in the day, our wives became really good friends as well, you just grow into each other’s lives become good friends and remain good friends.

“It’ll be great for us to go back, participate in a great occasion and celebrate his wonderful time at United. I’ll be representing Australia, it’s a huge honour for me to be a part of it.

Richard Garcia and Michael Carrick while at West Ham. Source: Supplied

“It was a tight knit group at West Ham. Lampard and Ferdinand were a bit older but still close with everyone. Ferrante was part of the click as well.

“To think that a bunch of guys from all different parts have developed a lifelong bond at 17 is quite rare.”

Garcia also revealed how he almost lured the five-time Premier League winner to Glory for the 2016-17 campaign.

Garcia said: “It was looking really good there for a while, there was a good chance he would have made the move had Louis Van Gaal stayed on at United but once that changed the lure of playing for the one club for so long and ending your career there was too much.”

SQUADS

Manchester United 2008 XI

Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson

Edwin van der Sar

Gary Neville

Patrice Evra

Rio Ferdinand

Wes Brown

Nemanja Vidic

Mikael Silvestre

Owen Hargreaves

Ryan Giggs

Park Ji-Sung

Michael Carrick

Paul Scholes

Darren Fletcher

Dimitar Berbatov

Louis Saha

Wayne Rooney

Michael Carrick All-Stars

Manager: Harry Redknapp

Shay Given

Michael Salgado

Eric Abidal

Joan Capdevila

Phil Neville

Jamie Carragher

John Terry

Gaizka Mendieta

Steven Gerrard

Clarence Seedorf

Damien Duff

Richard Garcia

Marcos Senna

Robbie Keane

Michael Owen

Eidur Gudjohnsen