Should he fail to prove he has overcome the ankle and calf injuries that threatened his career over the past 18 months, then he may have to settle for a life as a common or garden supporter.
Neville is in the final year of his United contract and has from now until next summer to convince Sir Alex Ferguson that his illustrious career is not over.
But ahead of a season when his very future in football is at stake, it says everything about the man that he is focusing on more silverware, rather than a new deal.
While Neville celebrated as vigorously as any United player in Moscow, this season he wants to repeat that success as part of the team, rather than a bystander.
"That's the challenge - for me to be part of the team that wins the European Cup again," he said. "We did it last season after nine years and we've never won two years on the trot so the most important thing is to step up to the plate again this season.
"We've never let complacency set into this club. We've always been of the mentality that every year you wipe the slate clean.
"It doesn't matter what happened the season before, whether we won two trophies, three trophies, four trophies or no trophies, we've always been able to wipe out what happened. That's been one of the great things the manager passed down to us."
The challenge of repeating the Premier League and Champions League success of last season is one thing, but Neville knows he also faces a personal challenge after overcoming the most serious injury layoff of his career.
The 34-year-old sat on the sidelines for more than a year and watched team-mate Wes Brown take his right-back berth at Old Trafford and for England. A series of failed comebacks led to suggestions that his career was over, but he achieved a personal triumph on Sunday when handed a start against Portsmouth in the Community Shield.
"I was pleased to be back," he said. "It was something I had waited a long time for. The manager told me I was playing before the match and I was happy.
"It's just good to get some minutes under my belt. This is the beginning for me. I don't feel a great sense of achievement, I've got to improve on that.
"Hopefully, with minutes on the pitch and training pitch that will happen.
Sharpness
"Usually I would have been up and down more and had a bit more sharpness on the ball, but maybe I am being over critical. For the person with the trained eye I am sure it was noticeable. I'm just happy to be out there and I will improve. The most important thing for me is to stay fit.
"I wasn't nervous, I was excited to get out on the pitch. I've really been looking forward to it.
"It is a fantastic challenge and I've always looked forward to challenges in my career. At this club it is a continual challenge, but for me personally after being out so long there are a number of challenges in front of me and I am not nervous about that.
"I want to thrive on the fact. I've not got a great deal of time left in my career. I'm 34 years of age so I'm just going to enjoy it for as long as I can.
"I think the stories that I'm not going to get back are inevitable when you don't play for so long and at my age. I was okay for the last two months of last season, but I just came back too late. The players were playing too well."
Ferguson, too, is convinced his captain can put his injuries behind him and welcomes the fact that he now has genuine competition between Neville, Brown and Brazilian Rafael Da Silva at right-back.
"With Gary you can see personality and character of the human being," said the United manager. "When you think Gary Neville has been out for that length of time and the character he has, it's remarkable. He's a remarkable man. You can see it in his eyes the determination and quality of his game are absolutely superb.
"Wes Brown only missed something like two games last season, he was absolutely outstanding, but it is a dilemma who to play.
"Looking at it I don't think Gary will play all the time. Hopefully, if we get 30-35 games in his first season back we will be absolutely delighted, especially knowing that Wes Brown equally and Da Silva can do a job here."
Neville tasted Champions League success in 1999, but believes the current crop are the most exciting United side he has witnessed.
"I think it is probably the most inventive side in terms of style and the players interchanging in the way they do - that's different to the United teams I've played in in the past," he said.
The front three now seem to be able to play in all different positions and it is difficult for defenders, who don't know who they are going to be playing against from minute to minute, let alone match to match."
Do you think Neville should play ahead of Brown? Have your say.
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Gerry, Glastonbury (12/08/2008 at 08:23)