Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United player

Cristiano Ronaldo spent six seasons at Manchester United, between 2003 and 2009. During that time he developed into one of the world's most talented footballers.

Cristiano Ronaldo Dos Santos Aveiro was born in Funchal, on the island of Madeira, in 1985. He first played organised football at eight years old and, two years later, was playing for the biggest club on the island. When only eleven, he was transferred to Sporting Lisbon on the mainland, where he initially played for one of Sporting’s nursery clubs. In Lisbon he had to learn independence and resilience as well as football. He was far from home and family, and was mocked because of his unfamiliar accent. As his football continued to develop he came to the attention of many European clubs. In 2003 Manchester United played a pre-season friendly against Sporting Lisbon and, after a scintillating Ronaldo performance, the players apparently begged Sir Alex Ferguson to sign him. Ronaldo moved to Manchester for £12.2m in the summer of 2003 and made his debut on 16 August against Bolton Wanderers.

Although from the start everyone recognised his talent, initially he had many detractors. He was described as a ‘show pony’. It was said that his tricks rarely produced goals. He was accused of illegally winning free kicks by falling too easily under challenge. Under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson and others, his game steadily matured. He was strong and fit. Though frequently fouled, he was rarely injured. He was very quick, possessed lots of tricks, and loved to go past defenders. He was two-footed, and could play on either wing. His crossing improved and he was a capable header of the ball. Over time, he took more and more of the team’s free kicks and, in 2006, became Manchester United's usual penalty-taker.

In his first season, he helped Manchester United win the FA Cup, scoring in the final against Millwall. In 2005-2006 he scored in the League Cup Final against Wigan, which Manchester United won 4-0. That summer he played for Portugal in the Word Cup. In the game against England he was caught on camera winking to the Portuguese bench when his club colleague Wayne Rooney was sent-off. He was accused of engineering Rooney’s dismissal and vilified in the English press. Some thought he would leave the club as a result but, instead, he and Rooney formed a fearsome partnership throughout the following season. In 2006-2007 Manchester United won the Premiership and Ronaldo scored twenty-three goals and won all the major end of season honours. In 2007-2008 he managed an even more successful season. He scored forty-two goals in all competitions and helped Manchester United win both the Premiership and the UEFA Champions League. During the summer that followed, Ronaldo and Real Madrid attempted to engineer a move from Manchester United, but Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United stood firm. Ronaldo returned to Manchester and a third successive Premiership title followed. Ronaldo was once more the club's top scorer, this time with twenty-six goals. At the end of the season, Real Madrid again made enquires. This time, with Ronaldo still wanting to leave, Manchester United accepted a world-record fee of £80m.

Ronaldo grew into a tremendous footballer while at Manchester United. He possessed many gifts, which allowed him to play in various different positions. He made a huge contribution, especially in his last three seasons. His immense talents were much admired, yet some supporters never fully embraced him. To some, his desire to play for Real Madrid undermined his commitment to Manchester United. To others, he appeared occasionally to play more for himself than the team.

Ronaldo has made a number of appearances for Portugal since his debut in 2003.