The Athletic has placed Cristiano Ronaldo as the 10th best player in Manchester United’s history in its ranking of the club’s top 25 footballers.
The list, released by football journalist Andy Mitten on Wednesday, highlighted Ronaldo’s successes during his two tenures at Old Trafford, especially his role in United’s supremacy in English and European football under former coach Sir Alex Ferguson.
Ronaldo transferred to Manchester United from Sporting CP in 2003, making 346 appearances and netting 145 goals before finalizing an £80 million transfer to Real Madrid in 2009, which still stands as the club’s largest sale.
In his initial tenure at Old Trafford, the Portugal captain secured nine trophies, among them three Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League in 2008.
His remarkable 2007-08 season had him net 42 goals across all competitions, featuring 31 goals in the Premier League, aiding United in securing the league title and the Champions League.
That season also brought him the Ballon d’Or, making him the first United player since George Best, Denis Law, and Bobby Charlton to win the esteemed honor.
The Athletic emphasized Ronaldo’s personal accolades, such as receiving the Premier League Player of the Season award in 2006-07 and 2007-08.
He became the first player to secure the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, and Fans’ Player of the Year awards in one season in 2007.
Ex-United defender Patrice Evra acknowledged Ferguson’s role in changing Ronaldo from a skilled winger into a top-level goalscorer.
“Sir Alex Ferguson’s eyes that night were full of admiration for Ronaldo,” Evra said, recalling Ronaldo’s memorable long-range goal against Porto in the 2009 Champions League.
“I looked at him that night in the dressing room and saw how he realized that he had the best player in the world on his side.”
Evra also stated that Ferguson encouraged Ronaldo to focus less on individual tricks and become more effective in front of goal.
“Ferguson made him a killer, made him a man,” he said.
Former Man United captain Gary Neville also praised Ronaldo’s ability during training, describing his skills as extraordinary.
“He’d do stuff so good I couldn’t even work out how he did it,” Neville wrote in his autobiography.
Man United’s former strength and conditioning coach, Mike Clegg, highlighted Ronaldo’s dedication and professionalism as key factors behind his development.
“Cristiano would come back into the gym and do power work for his legs. Then he would go home, eat the right food, swim, sleep… and come back in the next morning,” Clegg said.
Ronaldo made his return to Manchester United in 2021 following successful tenures at Real Madrid and Juventus, netting 24 goals in his initial season back.
Nonetheless, his second stint concluded in November 2022 due to a public dispute with the club, resulting in his exit.
Though the ending stirred debate, The Athletic stated that Ronaldo’s initial time at Old Trafford is the pivotal phase of his United journey, naming him the most gifted player in a squad that became the world’s top team in 2008.
The article noted that Ronaldo might have placed even better on the list if he had stayed at Manchester United rather than moving to Real Madrid.
