Cristiano Ronaldo Reacts to Alex Ferguson's Retirement

After more than two decades at the helm, longtime Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will leave his current role at season's end, the club's official site reported. One of the former United stalwarts to send out a reaction was Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Real Madrid winger, who became a superstar under Ferguson's watch at Old Trafford, sent out a pretty simple message on Twitter. It still managed to speak volumes about the connection the now 71-year-old boss made with his players.

Ronaldo played under the guidance of Ferguson from 2003 until leaving for Real in 2009. He scored 118 goals in 292 appearances across all competitions with United, establishing himself as one of the most dynamic offensive players in the world.

Giving young players a chance to prove themselves will be part of Ferguson's lasting legacy. Ronaldo possessed all the talent in the world and just needed a chance to develop it. United's boss gave it to him, and he never looked back.

It's fair to ask where Ronaldo would stand in his career if not for Fergie's confidence in him every step of the way. There was a period between the initial hype and his emergence as a key player where other managers might not have given him as much leeway.

Through two Premier League campaigns, Ronaldo had accounted for just nine goals. Not exactly the type of production expected from a player with so much natural talent. Ferguson stuck with him, and it paid off in the long run.

The announcement from Ferguson and the club came just a couple weeks after the club clinched its 20th league title. The legendary boss was in charge for 13 of them over the past 26 seasons, including three with Ronaldo on the squad.

At some point in the future, perhaps 10 years from now, everybody will look back at all the players that had their careers impacted by Ferguson. It's going to be an incredible list of players from Brian McClair to Wayne Rooney and everybody in between.

In terms of overall impact, Ronaldo will be near the top of the list. And he clearly isn't afraid to show his appreciation.