Written by: Aarav G.
Edited by: Jagat S.
Visual by: Macy M.
Almost two weeks ago, Manchester United announced on social media that they had agreed on a deal with Italian football club Juventus that will see club legend Cristiano Ronaldo make a headlining return to Manchester.
This deal came as a huge shock to fans as 24 hours before it seemed that a move to local rivals Manchester City was an inevitability for Cristiano. Reputable insiders like Fabrizio Romano were reporting that Ronaldo and his agent had reached a verbal agreement. It was only after all this that news of Manchester United’s interest in Ronaldo started reaching the press.
Cristiano, a 5-time Ballon d’Or winner and 5 time UEFA Champions League winner, broke onto the scene during his first stint at United. He first signed for the club at the age of 18 in 2003 after an impressive performance against United in a pre-season friendly which caught the eye of then-manager Sir Alex Ferguson. After the game, he set his eyes on signing the wonder-kid.
During his time in Manchester, Ronaldo was the main man in one of the best teams in the world. In his 6 years at United, he led them to 3 Premier League titles, 1 Champions League title, 1 FA Cup, 2 English League cups, and 2 Community Shields whilst also scoring 118 goals in 292 appearances for the club.
Ronaldo then went on to play for Real Madrid and Juventus where he further elevated his game. In his 11 years away from Manchester Cristiano scored 551 goals whilst also adding 4 more Ballon d’Ors and 4 more Champions Leagues to his resume in a record-breaking fashion which saw him win 4 titles in 5 seasons.
The return of Ronaldo garnered a huge reaction from the fans. This was reflected on social media with the announcement tweet reaching over 2 million likes along with the announcement on Instagram amassing 13 million likes. His own post announcing his return also gained huge attention, getting 18.6 million likes overall.
This return will leave Manchester United fans with a level of confidence that hasn’t been at the club for a long time. They may even see a Premier League trophy return to Old Trafford.
Ronaldo makes his highly anticipated second debut for the club on September 11 when Manchester United matchup with Newcastle United. This will be the first time he represents United in over 11 years, which without a doubt will have millions of people tuning in to watch.
Bibliography
“Cristiano Ronaldo – Player Profile 21/22.” Transfermarkt, http://www.transfermarkt.com/cristiano-ronaldo/profil/spieler/8198.
“Cristiano Ronaldo: Forward: Man Utd First Team Player Profile.” Cristiano Ronaldo | Forward | Man Utd First Team Player Profile | Manchester United, http://www.manutd.com/en/players-and-staff/detail/ronaldo.
“Cristiano Ronaldo: How Man Utd Pulled off Shock Transfer.” BBC Sport, BBC, http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/58358834.