Al-Nazzal bin Sabrah said: When Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was made Caliph, Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We appointed as leader the best of those who remained, and we did not fall short in it."
Hadith Referenceالمعجم الكبير للطبراني / باب العين / 8810