Cristiano Ronaldo's Top 25 Manchester United Moments
The rumours about Cristiano Ronaldo's possible return to Manchester United are interminable, with B/R's own Guillem Balague the man to follow for all the latest ahead of what would be one of the more remarkable transfers of recent times.
Whether it is the player himself admitting his fondness for the Old Trafford club or United fans taking to the skies to profess their love for him, as detailed here in The Guardian, this is a story which simply won't go away.
Ronaldo's United career is fondly remembered by the club's supporters, but just what are his greatest moments with the Red Devils?
Here we relive his career in English football through 25 of them.
That Famous Performance for Sporting Lisbon
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Okay, so we're starting off with one in which he's not in a Manchester United shirt, but it was was Ronaldo's performance for Sporting Lisbon in a friendly against the Red Devils in 2003 that famously helped seal his move to England for what would prove a bargain £12.24 million.
United's players were so impressed with the young winger in that game that they urged manager Sir Alex Ferguson to sign him, with the Scot later telling United's official website, via Sky Sports:
"After we played Sporting last week, the lads in the dressing room talked about him constantly, and on the plane back from the game they urged me to sign him. That's how highly they rated him.
"
His Debut Against Bolton
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Then the real stuff began. Ronaldo wowed Old Trafford on his United debut after he replaced Nicky Butt in the 61st minute on the opening day of the 2003/04 season against Bolton Wanderers.
The Portuguese's arrival proved to be the catalyst United needed to seal the game, as a 1-0 lead was quickly turned into a 4-0 victory largely thanks to the trickery of the young substitute.
Ryan Giggs scored twice and there were goals for Paul Scholes and Ruud van Nistelrooy, but there was only one man who the United fans went home talking about, with the BBC Sport match report claiming that Ronaldo had put in "a scintillating performance."
His First Goal for the Club Against Portsmouth
3 of 25After the first game, came the first goal.
Ronaldo was still usually seen coming off the bench by the November of his first season, but with no David Beckham around, he could assume free-kick duty for his side, who were happy to let him take on the responsibility.
In between goals from Diego Forlan and Roy Keane, he curled home a cross-cum-shot free-kick past Shaka Hislop in a routine 3-0 home win over Portsmouth.
It was the first strike of many.
Scoring in the FA Cup Final at the End of His First Season
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Over 10 years on, it is easy to forget about the Manchester United vs. Millwall FA Cup final from 2004 and dismiss it as a one-sided affair, but Ronaldo played a key role in ensuring his side won the trophy and avoided a shock against the Championship outfit in Cardiff.
Still just a teenager and at the tail end of his first season at United, Ronaldo headed home Gary Neville's cross one minute before half-time to establish a lead for his side.
United ended up winning 3-0 thanks to two Ruud van Nistelrooy goals, and Ronaldo had his first English trophy at the end of his first season.
Scoring in the League Cup Final
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After a 2004/05 in which he gathered more experience in the Premier League as the whole division was blown away by Jose Mourinho's Chelsea, Ronaldo was back winning trophies the following season as United beat Wigan 4-0 in the Carling Cup final.
He kept up his 100 per cent record of scoring for his club in finals, grabbing the second of a burst of three second-half goals when he fired in fellow scorer Louis Saha's pass to make it 3-0 at the Millennium Stadium.
Ronaldo's medal collection was growing, but after Chelsea would win the league title again this season, it was time for him to inspire United to bring it back to Old Trafford.
Back-to-Back Player of the Month Awards
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The summer of 2006 had been dominated by Ronaldo's behaviour in apparently getting Wayne Rooney sent off as England crashed out of the World Cup in Germany, with many wondering if it would be possible for him to play in the Premier League any more.
But despite initially claiming that he should "get out of Manchester", as reported by The Guardian, Ronaldo stayed and let his feet do the talking.
A series of excellent performances and goals in November and December confirmed he'd put the summer headlines behind him, and he was rewarded by becoming only the third player in Premier League history—after Robbie Fowler and Dennis Bergkamp—to win back-to-back Player of the Month awards.
The Late Winner Against Fulham
7 of 25By February 2007, United were riding high at the top of the Premier League table, with a game at Fulham in particular pretty much proving that they were going to be unstoppable.
Ronaldo had been kept in check by a Fulham side who could count themselves unfortunate not to be ahead as the match reached its closing stages. With the score at 1-1, the Portuguese burst in from the left-hand side and struck an effort that took a slight deflection on its way into the net.
Wild celebrations ensued, with Sir Alex Ferguson heaping praise on Ronaldo to the BBC following the match.
Winning the Title at City
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The title was pretty much a formality, and it was all but confirmed when Ronaldo fired home a penalty to win the Manchester derby in May 2007.
Having recovered from being stamped on by Michael Ball in the early moments of the match, the Portuguese picked himself up after again being fouled by the defender to win his side the game from 12 yards in the first half.
His first Premier League title was sewn up when Chelsea drew at Arsenal the following day.
Sweeping the Board and Winning All the Awards
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Having started the campaign as Public Enemy No. 1 for many in England, Ronaldo ended it as a hero to United fans and undoubtedly the best player of the 2006/07 season.
As well as the league title, he became only the second player to win the PFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year award in the same season, while he also won the PFA Fans' Player of the Year and the Football Writers' Footballer of the Year, becoming the first man to win all four prizes in the same season.
His Only Premier League Hat-Trick Against Newcastle
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He took his form from 2006/07 into the 2007/08 campaign, which turned out to be the season that most at United remember him for.
Now devoid of the speculation over his future—for a while at least—Ronaldo started the season on fire and grabbed his one and only hat-trick for the club in a 6-0 home win over Newcastle in January 2008, a result that sent United to the top of the Premier League.
That Portsmouth Free-Kick
11 of 25United were in no mood to be toppled off the top of the table now, and just three weeks after that Newcastle game came the visit of Portsmouth to Old Trafford, a game that was to see one of Ronaldo's most memorable career goals.
His free-kick from 25 yards out dipped and swerved on its way into the top corner of David James' net, ensuring the Pompey 'keeper could do absolutely nothing about it. All the watching world could do was simply stand and applaud.
James probably felt like doing the same.
Breaking George Best's Goal Record
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Ronaldo was absolutely flying now, and setting new standards in goalscoring week after week.
In March 2008, on the same day he captained United for the first time, the Portuguese scored twice in a 2-0 home victory over Bolton Wanderers to take his tally to 33 goals for the season, thereby beating the United record for goals from a midfielder in one season, which had been set by the legendary George Best in the 1967/68 campaign 40 years earlier.
What's more, Ronaldo wasn't finished there...
Performance Against Barcelona in the Champions League
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It wasn't just in the Premier League that United were impressing, and Ronaldo's display against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals went a long way toward taking them to their first European final in nine years.
He didn't score in the semi-final and even missed a penalty in the first leg, but his tireless running and boundless energy forced Barca on the the back foot for pretty much all of the game, qualities that were crucial as the hosts sought to protect the advantage given to them by a fine Paul Scholes goal early on at a raucous Old Trafford.
They did just that, with Ronaldo earning his place in the final as much as anyone.
Helping to Seal the Title at Wigan
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Before that Champions League final, though, there was a Premier League to win, and just like at Manchester City a year earlier, a Ronaldo penalty would be crucial in securing it.
The Portuguese struck from the spot at Wigan on the final day of the campaign to send United on the way to a 2-0 victory and secure his and the club's second league title in two years.
Scoring in the Champions League Final
15 of 25After the country was conquered came the continent.
Ronaldo put United in front in the Champions League final against Premier League rivals Chelsea in Moscow, rising to head home a Wes Brown cross and score his 42nd goal of a staggering season.
Chelsea fought back, though, with Frank Lampard's equaliser taking the game the extra time and ultimately penalties...
His Reaction After Winning the Champions League
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Ronaldo saw his spot-kick in the shootout saved by Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, thereby setting the stage for John Terry to win the trophy for the Blues and complete a fairy-tale story for him and a nightmare for the Portuguese at the end of a season when he had emerged as a true global icon.
But Terry slipped, missed and then watched on as an Edwin van der Sar save from Nicolas Anelka confirmed United as champions of Europe for the third time, with Ronaldo unable to control his emotions as he lay on the turf in the pouring rain sobbing his heart out.
He'd guided United to this success, and now it was time for the emotions to pour out.
His 100th Goal for the Club Against Stoke City
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An ankle injury meant Ronaldo had a slower start to the 2008/09 season, but two free-kick goals in a win over Stoke in November signalled he was fully up to speed after what had been a disappointing time with Portugal at Euro 2008.
The first of those free-kicks against Stoke marked Ronaldo's 100th goal for United, but by now there were plenty wondering just how many more there would be as Real Madrid circled and prepared their move.
Winning the Ballon d'Or in 2008
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December 2008 brought the news everyone expected, with Ronaldo's stunning form in 2008 earning him a richly deserved FIFA Ballon d'Or. He became the first United player to win the award since George Best 40 years earlier.
As quoted in The Independent, Ronaldo said of the award:
"It is one of the most beautiful days of my life. To gain this trophy is something I dreamed of as a child.
Great emotion fills me but I cannot really describe it.
I want to thank those who voted for me, those who know me and those who live with me.
I was not worried, because I was aware of what I did in the course of the season.
But to the people who mentioned my name, I say thank you. Thank you also to my team-mates.
This [trophy] is one that I want to win again because it is so good. Therefore, I will wake and I will say to myself 'I want to be even better'.
"
Inspiring the Comeback Against Aston Villa
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After securing more personal glory it was the pursuit of more team awards that consumed Ronaldo, and he proved inspirational on an afternoon when United strengthened their grip on the Premier League title in a match against Aston Villa.
After back-to-back losses to Liverpool and Fulham, the former overtook United at the top of the table in April 2009, but Ronaldo's brace helped United win a game that is remembered for the intervention of one of the Portuguese's teammates.
Teenage Italian debutant Federico Macheda won the match for United with an unforgettable stoppage-time winner, but it mustn't be forgotten just who made that win possible in the first place.
Scoring a Stunner at Porto
20 of 25The Champions League was being chased in this campaign, too, and Ronaldo lit up the road to the Rome final with a staggering long-range strike in a quarter-final victory at Porto.
The goal was ultimately became the first to be named as the winner of FIFA's inaugural Puskas Award for the the best strike in world football that season, with Ronaldo himself claiming after the game that it was the best goal he'd ever scored (BBC).
Free-Kick Against Arsenal in the Champions League
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In the semi-final, Ronaldo was back finding the net from distance as United saw off Arsenal in an all-Premier League clash.
The second leg was taken away from the Gunners when, after an early Park Ji-Sung goal, Ronaldo powered home a remarkable free-kick from over 35 yards to make it 2-0 on the night and 3-0 on aggregate, with an even more iconic goal to come next.
Finishing off the Counter-Attack Against Arsenal
22 of 25United had completely overrun Arsenal now, and when 2-0 became 3-0 in the early moments of the second half, they knew they were going to the Rome final.
In an exhibition of how to counter-attack, Ronaldo started the move he would finish when his flicked pass found Park, who then played the ball out to Wayne Rooney on the left-hand side. Rooney's pinpoint delivery into the centre was then perfect for Ronaldo to stride on to and fire home the goal that killed off the Gunners and sent United to their second consecutive Champions League final.
His Final United Goal
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The Premier League title, a third in three years, still needed to be secured first, and a Ronaldo free-kick in a Manchester derby victory at Old Trafford ensured that it was coming ever closer.
In the 18th minute, the Portuguese settled any nerves when his strike took a deflection off Nigel de Jong and wrong-footed Shay Given to give United the lead, with the title secured the following week.
This goal was Ronaldo's 26th of the season and his 118th and final strike for United, with his record move to Real Madrid negotiated after the Red Devils lost the Champions League final to Barcelona in Rome, a game in which Ronaldo had little impact and was overshadowed by Lionel Messi.
Old Trafford Reception When Playing for Real Madrid
24 of 25In February 2013, though, Ronaldo was back at Old Trafford after Real drew Manchester United in the Champions League.
Despite having firmly established himself as a world superstar since moving to the Bernabeu, Ronaldo has never forgotten who helped him get there, and even though he scored Real's goal in the 1-1 first-leg draw that left the tie delicately poised, he still received a rousing reception from the United supporters who have never forgotten his contributions to the club.
And Refusing to Celebrate His Goal in the Same Game
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The game itself didn't go to plan for United, though, despite them taking the lead through a Sergio Ramos own goal early in the second half.
A harsh red card for Nani with the score at 1-0 turned the tables in the clash, with Luka Modric then firing Real's equaliser and, typically, Ronaldo popping up to score the winner and send United crashing out of the Champions League in what would prove to be Sir Alex Ferguson's final game in the competition.
As is the current trend, Ronaldo refused to celebrate the goal, later revealing to The Guardian that he was "a little bit sad" to have knocked his former employers out, thereby only strengthening a bond between a player and the supporters who hope to see him return in a red shirt sooner rather than later.
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