Athletic names Ronaldo 10th greatest Man United player

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Cristiano Ronaldo has been ranked as the 10th greatest player in Manchester United’s history by The Athletic in its countdown of the club’s top 25 footballers.

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The ranking, published by football writer Andy Mitten on Wednesday, recognised Ronaldo’s achievements during his two spells at Old Trafford, particularly his contribution to United’s dominance in English and European football under former manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

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Ronaldo joined Manchester United from Sporting CP in 2003 and went on to make 346 appearances, scoring 145 goals before completing an £80 million move to Real Madrid in 2009, a transfer that remains the club’s biggest sale.

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During his first spell at Old Trafford, the Portugal captain won nine trophies, including three Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League in 2008.

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His outstanding 2007-08 campaign saw him score 42 goals in all competitions, including 31 Premier League goals, helping United win the league title and the Champions League.

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That season also earned him the Ballon d’Or, making him the first United player since George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton to receive the prestigious award.

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The Athletic highlighted Ronaldo’s individual achievements, including winning the Premier League Player of the Season award in 2006-07 and 2007-08.

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He also became the first player to win 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 the same season in 2007.

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Former United defender Patrice Evra credited Ferguson with helping transform Ronaldo from a talented winger into a world-class goalscorer.

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“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.

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“I looked at him that night in the dressing room and saw how he realised that he had the best player in the world on his side.”

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Evra added that Ferguson encouraged Ronaldo to focus less on individual tricks and become more effective in front of goal.

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“Ferguson made him a killer, made him a man,” he said.

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Former United captain Gary Neville also praised Ronaldo’s ability during training, describing his skills as extraordinary.

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“He’d do stuff so good I couldn’t even work out how he did it,” Neville wrote in his autobiography.

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United’s former strength and conditioning coach, Mike Clegg, highlighted Ronaldo’s dedication and professionalism as key factors behind his development.

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“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.

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Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in 2021 after successful spells with Real Madrid and Juventus, scoring 24 goals in his first season back.

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However, his second spell ended in November 2022 following a public disagreement with the club, leading to his departure.

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Despite the controversial ending, The Athletic said Ronaldo’s first spell at Old Trafford remains the defining period of his United career, describing him as the most talented player in a side that became the best team in the world in 2008.

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The publication added that Ronaldo could have ranked even higher on the list had he remained at Manchester United instead of joining Real Madrid.

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