Solskjaer included. In 2007–08, he netted 42
goals in all competitions – 31 in the Premier
League, a tally bettered only by Mo Salah in
a 38-game season. It earned him the first of
four career European Golden Shoes.
Free kicks had become a powerful part of
Ronaldo’s armoury thanks to his perfection of
the knuckleball technique – one such stunner
at home to Portsmouth earned him the BBC’s
Goal of the Month award.
“There was no competition with Ronaldo
on who would take the free kicks,” pal Nani
chuckles, as he talks to FFT. “If I wanted to
have a little try, it would depend on his mood.
I took a free kick in one game because he let
me, but didn’t get another chance after that,
even though I was pretty good at them and
had a technique similar to his. I teased him
about it, saying I was better than him. He
used to get furious – he’d only leave training
after scoring five goals from free kicks.”
Ronaldo’s competitive streak extended to
more or less everything. “We’d play tennis,
ping pong, go swimming – even when we
were just talking, there was some
competition between us!” smiles Nani.
“When I joined United, he heard I was living
in a hotel at the beginning and said, ‘Why
don’t you stay with me in my house?’ I spent
a month there with Anderson.
“We couldn’t understand a word of
English, so Ronaldo acted as translator until
he got tired of it and said, ‘From now on, you
have to learn it too’. The three of us were
always having a laugh – Ronaldo was the
same in the national team, but there was a
time to fool around and a time to work.
When he’s fully focused, he doesn’t like to
make jokes.”
Ronaldo had his game face on when
United travelled to face Roma in the
Champions League quarter-finals that
season. Believing Rooney would offer more
defensively on the flank, Ferguson opted to
play his protégé winger in an unfamiliar
position upfront. It would be an experiment
repeated in several crucial European fixtures
after Ronaldo broke the deadlock in a 2-0
win, leaping to power home a thumping
header that any striker would have been
proud of. “One of the best headers I’ve ever
seen,” was how Rooney described the
towering effort.
“That goal was crazy,” Saha reflects now.
“Here was a guy known for dribbling, scoring
this goal from a header, very aggressively
attacking the box. He had the desire to put
his beautiful head on the line.”
Desire was never something Ronaldo was
short of. “His dedication was amazing,” says
Saha. “People compare him to Lionel Messi,
but I don’t think Messi practises as hard and
I don’t think he works on his fitness as much.
To have all that talent and work harder than
anyone is unique – Cristiano deserves every
single thing he’s achieved in his life.
“I was way older than him, but you
realised he was obsessed and you had to
catch up. Ronaldo was an example – I tried
to follow him and I nearly died! I can’t wait
to see the players who will benefit from that
example now, like Anthony Martial and
Marcus Rashford; even lads in the academy
sides. He’s an animal.
“People say he’s arrogant, but no: when
you work hard, you’re actually very aware
of your weaknesses. He doesn’t show them,
but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know. He’s
very intelligent. Then, with a manager like Sir
Alex, every year we achieved something, he
wasn’t happy with it – he wanted more. That
was the benchmark that was established for
the rest of Cristiano’s career.”
Ronaldo tasted Champions League glory
for the first time that season. After slotting
a crucial spot-kick on the final day of the
2007–08 Premier League campaign as United
retained their title at Wigan, he headed the
Red Devils in front against Chelsea in Moscow.
Petr Čech saved Ronaldo’s shootout penalty,
but he was redeemed by John Terry’s slip.
“I thought we would lose when I missed –
I thought it would be the worst day of my
life,” revealed the Portuguese. “Now, it’s the
happiest day of my life.”The Ballon d’Or was his for the first time –
as was FIFA’s best player honour, which had
never previously gone to someone based
outside Spain or Italy. Messi, yet to win either
gong, was second in both votes.
Ronaldo could have been based in Spain
by the time he picked up those awards: Real
Madrid were ready to meet the €75-million
release clause in his contract, only for United
to report them to FIFA. The clause had been
confidential and they were furious someone
had leaked it – Ferguson was angry, too, with
the way Madrid president Ramon Calderón
constantly spoke about Ronaldo in the media.
“You can’t go this year,” the United supremo
told his star man. “I’d rather shoot you than
sell you to that guy now.”
So, a gentleman’s agreement was made:
if a world-record fee was offered a year later,
he’d be allowed to leave Old Trafford. Soon,
sources claimed Real had agreed a deal with
Ronaldo to sign him then, with a €30-million
break clause if either party backed out.Above Almost
100,000 fans filled
the Bernabéu to
welcome RonnieTHE
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