Cristiano Ronaldo: The complete footballer
Anyone handed the number seven shirt at Manchester United has a lot to live up to, but there is little doubt that current custodian Cristiano Ronaldo wears it with distinction. Only a player of supreme confidence and almost unworldly ability would be happy to follow the likes of George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona and David Beckham into the 'magnificent 7' but those qualities perfectly fit Ronaldo.The winger's fantastic natural talents have developed and matured over the past five seasons at United and the player is now undoubtedly one of the most exciting and potent attacking threats in world football.The legend goes that Sir Alex Ferguson was persuaded to sign the Portuguese protégé by his own players after United had faced Sporting Lisbon in a pre-season friendly in 2003. Whatever the truth in that story it wasn't long before the largely unknown 18-year-old arrived in Manchester with £12.24 million going the other way.
He took little time to make an impact, scoring eight times in 39 games, including the opener in the FA Cup final win over Millwall. Since then Ronaldo's route to the summit of world football has seemed practically a foregone conclusion. He was at the heart of United's Premiership title in 2006-07, striking up a devastating partnership with Wayne Rooney that included seven goals in five games over the crucial Christmas period.It was that sort of form, allied to outstanding performances for the Portuguese national team, that earned Ronaldo third place in the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year award, along with a clean sweep of domestic Player of the Year awards.To the horror of defences around the world Ronaldo only gets better. He is now a prolific goalscorer with a devastating free-kick and an extensive box of tricks. He is a natural born winner with a deep passion for the game and is well on his way to being an Old Trafford legend.
Born5 Feb 1985 Place Of BirthFunchal, Madeira, Portugal Height1.85 m (6' 1'') PositionWinger ClubsSporting Lisbon, Manchester United CountryPortugal Major Club HonoursManchester United: FA Cup, 2004Football League Cup, 2006Premier League, 2007, 2008UEFA Champions League, 2008