Review into the Life of Christian Ronaldo
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00:30Cristiano Ronaldo is the perfect footballer.
00:33He's a natural leader on the field with his inspiring runs,
00:37powerful strikes and uncanny ability to find the back of the net.
00:41Despite his tender age, he leads his club side,
00:44Manchester United, to victory on countless occasions with ease.
00:50Off the field, he is the ultimate marketing machine.
00:53His brilliant game style encourages the younger fans
00:56to mimic him in every way,
00:58from buying Cristiano Ronaldo boots to copying his hairstyle.
01:04Even fully grown men have been known to go weak at the knees
01:07upon brushing shoulders with the Portuguese prodigy.
01:10And let's not forget the fawning female fans
01:13who love to watch the baby-faced midfielder
01:15tear apart a trembling defence.
01:18So, what is it about Ronaldo that has the football world in awe?
01:22Throughout this programme,
01:24we chart the young superstar's career and achievements to date.
01:28We check on his track record with clubs and fans
01:31and delve into the scandals that sometimes threaten
01:34to derail his brilliant career.
01:40Born on February 5th, 1985, in Madeira, Portugal,
01:44the young football prodigy started showing glimpses
01:47of his raw talent at just three years of age.
01:50His passion and natural talent for the game were obvious,
01:53and at 12, Ronaldo went on a three-day trial with Sporting Lisbon,
01:57who signed him for an undisclosed sum.
02:00At 16, Ronaldo started to blossom.
02:03His form in the UEFA Under-17 Championship
02:06drew him to the attention of the wider football world.
02:10In the summer of 2003, he caught the eye of Sir Alex Ferguson
02:14when Sporting beat Manchester United 3-1
02:17in the inauguration of the Alvalade 21 stadium in Lisbon.
02:21Demonstrating his ability to play on both wings,
02:24his performance in the match impressed the Manchester United players,
02:28who urged their manager to sign Ronaldo.
02:31By mid-August, Ronaldo had joined the English Premier League powerhouse
02:35for a transfer fee of 22.2 million euros.
02:41In a week that kept on improving
02:43for the boy who was named after Ronald Reagan,
02:46he made his international debut with Portugal
02:49on August 20, 2003, with a 1-0 win over Kazakhstan.
02:58With his awkward teenage years behind him,
03:01Ronaldo was beginning to make good
03:03on the incredible potential his coaches saw.
03:06For years, his skills had only revealed themselves
03:09in the stress-free environment of the training ground,
03:12but finally Ronaldo was able to call upon them
03:15when he needed them most in an international game.
03:20After a steady performance in his first senior match for Portugal,
03:24he was picked to play in Europe's most prestigious international tournament,
03:28the European Cup.
03:29Not only was this his first international tournament,
03:32it also offered him the thrill of playing to packed stadiums
03:35in his home country, which was hosting the tournament for the first time.
03:42In his first appearance and Portugal's first game of the tournament,
03:46Ronaldo rose to the challenge.
03:48When he got the better of the Greek defence to score a sizzling goal,
03:52the home crowd erupted, and despite eventually going down 2-1,
03:56Portugal had gained a young superstar
03:58with the confidence to play on the big stage,
04:01and Ronaldo had learned how to score in high-pressure situations,
04:05a lesson he has never forgotten.
04:09For the remainder of the tournament, he continued to impress.
04:13His confidence was on the rise, and he proved that he belonged.
04:18In Portugal's semi-final clash with the Netherlands,
04:21Ronaldo was able to step up and embrace the big occasion.
04:25Like a seasoned veteran, he scored his second goal of Euro 04
04:29and helped set up a 2-1 win over the highly fancied Dutch team.
04:36Despite losing the final to the lesser-favoured Greece,
04:39Ronaldo had done more than enough to silence his critics.
04:43Still only 18 years of age, his career was well and truly on track.
04:49The difficult times at Sporting Lisbon were now a distant memory,
04:53and no doubt the boys that once teased him for his accent
04:56were now chanting his name
04:58and proudly boasting about their early associations.
05:03Ronaldo's international career went from strength to strength.
05:07After representing Portugal in the 2004 Summer Olympics,
05:11he went on to score a massive seven goals in the World Cup qualifiers,
05:15the second highest in the European zone.
05:20In 2006, he faced the biggest challenge of his international career.
05:25The FIFA World Cup brought with it huge expectations for the first-timer.
05:30Although Portugal's squad boasted many other star players,
05:33many Portuguese fans placed their hopes of World Cup success
05:37on the shoulders of a young Ronaldo.
05:39Listed alongside other young superstars like Wayne Rooney
05:43and Lukas Podolski, Cristiano was tipped to win
05:46the Gillette Best Young Player Award.
05:49With the weight of so much expectation bearing down upon him,
05:53lesser players would have cracked,
05:55but Ronaldo seemed to thrive on the stress,
05:57and in Portugal's second group match against Iran,
06:00he scored his first World Cup goal from a penalty.
06:05In the round of 16, he was injured from a high tackle
06:08by Dutchman Khalid Boularouz.
06:10It was the end of his game, and many believed
06:12he would miss the remainder of the tournament.
06:16However, the young prodigy proved he was tough as well as talented
06:20by returning for Portugal's quarter-final clash with England.
06:26It was clear from the outset that Ronaldo was out to impress
06:29his Manchester United team-mates.
06:31He seemed focused, and despite his injury,
06:34he looked likely to tear apart the English defence at any moment.
06:40After an entertaining first half with both sides missing opportunities,
06:44the game suddenly took a turn for the worse
06:47when Wayne Rooney was sent off for stamping on
06:49Ricardo Carvalho in the 62nd minute.
06:53Although not involved in the incident,
06:55there was much speculation among the British tabloids
06:58that Ronaldo had contributed to Rooney's red card
07:01by his constant and aggressive complaints
07:03to referee Horacio Elizondo.
07:06Adding fuel to the fire, television replays showed Ronaldo
07:10winking to the Portuguese bench after Rooney's dismissal.
07:14Many English fans strongly believed that Rooney's absence
07:17from the remainder of the match was a major factor
07:20in their early elimination from the 2006 World Cup.
07:24Eager to find a scapegoat, it was Ronaldo who bore the brunt
07:27of the English fans' frustration
07:29at yet another disappointing World Cup campaign.
07:32To fan the flames, The Sun published a picture of a dartboard
07:36with Ronaldo as the bullseye,
07:38which harked back to a similar image of David Beckham
07:41that appeared in a daily mirror in the wake of the 1998 World Cup.
07:57Not surprisingly, the aggression of the English fans towards Ronaldo
08:01raised doubts about his future with Man United.
08:05In fact, he told supporters that he was keen to move on
08:08as he felt the circumstances were not right to keep playing there.
08:12To make matters worse, in Portugal's semi-final clash against France,
08:16Ronaldo was booed and harassed by French fans
08:19who had jumped on the England bandwagon.
08:22Despite this, his Portuguese fans and fellow teammates
08:25were behind Ronaldo every step of the way.
08:32His Portuguese teammate, Ricardo, spoke to the press
08:36about Ronaldo's controversial World Cup incident
08:39and commented that people always look for a scapegoat.
08:48However, he didn't believe it was right to blame the referee.
08:51It was a clear red card and that's how he saw it.
09:02With his mind made up, it took some persuasive words
09:05from Sir Alex Ferguson and Man United assistant manager Carlos Queiroz
09:09as well as a heartfelt plea from Wayne Rooney
09:12to keep Cristiano Ronaldo from deserting the Red Devils.
09:17That, however, wasn't to be the end of the incident.
09:20Just to twist the knife a little deeper,
09:22England fans mounted an email campaign against Ronaldo
09:26and despite playing brilliantly throughout the tournament,
09:29they were unable to win the FIFA Best Young Player award.
09:34Ultimately, it was Lukasz Podolski who took out the honours
09:37and although no-one disputes that the German had a fantastic tournament,
09:41even Podolski had to admit he wouldn't have won the award
09:44if it had not been for the controversy over Wayne Rooney's red card.
09:50Losing such a prestigious honour over an incident
09:53where there was little to no evidence to support the claims of either party
09:57was a high price to pay.
10:00However, Ronaldo was no doubt consoled and comforted
10:03by the more experienced players around him,
10:05such as his hero, former World Player of the Year
10:08and Portuguese team-mate, Luis Figo.
10:12Figo, who is now coming towards the end of his football career,
10:15is the perfect role model or mentor for the young Ronaldo.
10:19Playing a similar game off the right wing,
10:21his inspiring contribution to the game has seldom been marred by controversy.
10:26Often compared to the great Eusebio,
10:28Figo is renowned for being a gentleman both on and off the field
10:32and his career path provides a shining example
10:35for younger players like Ronaldo to follow.
10:39Adored by the young and the elderly alike,
10:41Figo got his break at Sporting Club de Portugal at the age of 17.
10:47At 18, he played his first game for the national side.
10:50However, unlike the freakishly talented Ronaldo,
10:53Figo didn't hit the big time until his mid-20s
10:56when he joined FC Barcelona in 1995.
11:03After a dazzling performance in Euro 96,
11:06he suddenly went from a gifted player with great potential
11:10to one of the best playmakers in the world.
11:13His time at Barcelona saw him win the respect of many fans,
11:17team-mates and opposing players
11:20with his work ethic, calm demeanour and humble nature.
11:24Whilst with Barcelona, Figo won a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1996-97
11:30and back-to-back Primera Division titles.
11:33He went on to appear 172 times for the Blaugrana,
11:37scoring a total of 30 goals.
11:40Figo's fabulous run at Camp Nou also won him the admiration
11:44of the industry's top movers and shakers.
11:49One of his biggest fans was Sir Alex Ferguson,
11:52who was allegedly tempted to bring him across to Manchester United
11:55before Euro 2000 in a swap deal with David Beckham.
12:03However, Sir Alex wasn't the only manager who had designs on Figo.
12:07Barcelona's bitter rivals Real Madrid also had their eye on him,
12:11much to the disgust of the Barcelona fans
12:14who would rather see one of their players in a pine box
12:17than playing for the opposition.
12:19In the end, it took a record transfer bid
12:22by then Real president Florentino Perez
12:25of £38.7m to secure the services of the talented right winger.
12:35While both clubs were happy with the move,
12:37the Barcelona fans were far from overjoyed
12:40to see their number one player, the heart and soul of their club,
12:44make a pact with the devil Perez.
12:48In fact, when he returned to Camp Nou in the white strip of Real Madrid,
12:52a study by a television station found that the decibels
12:56generated by the crowd's whistles and jeers
12:59were louder than an aeroplane taking off.
13:04All these distractions failed to put Figo off his game.
13:08His ability to stay focused marked him out as a true champion,
13:13and to rub salt into Barcelona's bleeding wounds,
13:16he went on to win the European Player of the Year in 2000
13:20and then FIFA World Player of the Year in 2001.
13:26While he was with Real Madrid, Figo won the La Liga on two occasions,
13:30as well as topping the UEFA Champions League in 2002.
13:36Currently playing for Inter Milan,
13:38the inspiring footballer continues to impress,
13:41even in his twilight years.
13:43Although he hasn't won any international titles,
13:46Figo wore his national colours with pride
13:49and captained his side to an impressive fourth
13:51in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, his last international tournament.
13:56More recently, it could be argued that Figo's cool head
14:00and priceless experience were costly omissions
14:03in Portugal's campaign to win Euro 2008.
14:07The younger Ronaldo went into the tournament
14:10with a huge cloud over his head.
14:12The cloud had nothing to do with bad form or injury,
14:15nor had he upset anyone with questionable on-field tactics.
14:19Instead, he had become the centre of speculation
14:22about a possible transfer.
14:24The soccer world was abuzz with rumours that the young star
14:28was about to leave Manchester United
14:30and move to Real Madrid for a record transfer fee.
14:33Determined not to let all the talk interfere
14:36with his playing at the tournament,
14:38Ronaldo decided not to make any announcement
14:40until after the competition.
14:44It's all clarified.
14:46I'll say for the last time, for everybody to understand,
14:49I said in the airport to your colleagues too,
14:52in two or three weeks there will be more news.
14:55For now, it's not worth talking about.
14:59Portugal went into the tournament
15:02Portugal went into Euro 2008 as one of the tournament favourites
15:06thanks to Ronaldo's scorching form for Manchester United
15:09during the previous season.
15:11Comfortably winning through to the quarter-finals
15:14after losing just one game to Switzerland in a dead rubber,
15:17fans were quietly optimistic
15:19when Portugal squared up to international powerhouse Germany.
15:25The ball is round for all teams during 90 minutes,
15:28so anything can happen.
15:31People can say that Portugal are favourites,
15:34but at the moment, not for me.
15:39We are in the right path,
15:41but it now depends on what is going to happen in the second stage.
15:46If we win the next two matches, we will reach the final.
15:55Despite trying to ignore the mounting pressure from the media
15:58regarding his possible transfer,
16:00Ronaldo never quite got on top of his game,
16:03finding the back of the net only once throughout the tournament.
16:06Perhaps if Figo had been on the team,
16:09Ronaldo would have found enough stability and inspiration
16:12in his mentorship to kick his way out of the doldrums.
16:15As it was, there was no escaping the fact
16:18that the 23-year-old prodigy had plenty to think about.
16:21No doubt he was spending lots of time reflecting
16:24on how much his life had changed in the five years
16:27since he signed with Manchester United.
16:31MUSIC PLAYS
16:40Just over halfway through 2003,
16:43an 18-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo signed a document
16:46that would inevitably propel him into the international spotlight.
16:50With one swift movement of his pen,
16:53he went from playing for one of the best teams in his home country
16:56to become a star player
16:58on one of the most celebrated club sides in the world.
17:01His transfer fee of 22 million euros,
17:04or approximately £12 million,
17:06is a figure normally associated with the signing
17:09of a top-flight footballer
17:11who has already established themselves on the world scene.
17:14To put the fee into context,
17:16it's interesting to note that England international Michael Owen,
17:19who'd won the Ballon d'Or and been the EPL's top goalscorer,
17:23only attracted a transfer sum of £8 million
17:26on his move from Liverpool to Real Madrid.
17:31Despite the fact that Ronaldo had played well in his home league,
17:34near family and friends,
17:36he had yet to prove his worth in a foreign environment.
17:39Paying a fortune for the teenager
17:42was clearly a big gamble for Sir Alex Ferguson and his Red Devils.
17:46Not surprisingly, many Man U supporters were up in arms
17:50when they heard that their beloved club
17:52had forked out so much for an untested player.
17:57Luckily for Ronaldo, his new team-mates,
18:00who were in awe of his natural talent,
18:03were fully behind the transfer.
18:05With the hype surrounding Cristiano increasing
18:08and other big clubs starting to sniff around the youngster,
18:11Sir Alex swooped and clinched the deal.
18:14Sporting Lisbon weren't the only ones
18:17who benefited financially from the costly transfer.
18:20Ronaldo himself came out of the transaction very well.
18:24His weekly pay packet increased dramatically
18:27from a respectable £220 at Sporting
18:30to £22,000 at United.
18:33In short, he was now earning in one week
18:36what it used to take him nearly two years to make.
18:39Quite a decent pay rise for someone
18:42who still couldn't legally drink alcohol in many countries.
18:45In a classic case of out with the old, in with the new,
18:49Ronaldo's signing coincided with the departure
18:52of one of Manchester United's brightest stars,
18:55and there was no hiding the fact that the management
18:58and coaching staff expected Ronaldo to plug the gaping hole
19:01in the Manchester United firmament left by David Beckham.
19:05On his arrival at Old Trafford,
19:08Ronaldo modestly requested the number 28 shirt.
19:11When he was instead handed the coveted number 7 shirt,
19:15he knew beyond any doubt that he had enormous shoes to fill.
19:20The number 7 had been worn by the likes of George Best
19:23and his direct predecessor, David Beckham.
19:28Far from being intimidated, however,
19:30Ronaldo saw the honour as fuel for motivation,
19:34despite knowing that the expectations
19:36of the doubting Manchester United fans
19:38would be difficult to live up to.
19:43David Beckham had been seen by fans as a man you institution.
19:47For many, his departure from the club
19:50would have been greeted with as much disgust
19:52as Luis Figo's desertion of Barcelona in 2000.
19:57Beck's epic career at Old Trafford
19:59began after he was signed as a trainee on July 8, 1991.
20:04At that time, neither he nor the fans had any idea
20:07of what lay in store for the 16-year-old.
20:12A mad Manchester United supporter as a child,
20:15Beckham's dream to play alongside some of his childhood heroes
20:19came true when he came on as a substitute
20:21for Andre Cancelsis in 1992.
20:25The game against Brighton marked Beckham's debut as a United player.
20:31However, unlike Cristiano Ronaldo, Beckham wasn't signed straight away.
20:35He had to wait until January of 1993
20:38to be signed as a professional Man U player.
20:42This signing led to a frustrating few years
20:45for the future England captain.
20:47He had to wait until experienced players like Paul Ince,
20:50Mark Hughes and Andre Cancelsis left the club
20:53before he was given a decent opportunity with the senior squad.
20:59It was during the 1995-96 season
21:02that Beck's became a regular player on the team
21:05and helped them to win the Premiership and FA Cup double,
21:08scoring the winning goal in the semi-final against Chelsea
21:11and also providing the corner that fed Eric Cantona's goal
21:14in the FA Cup final.
21:17The following season saw Beckham wear the number 10 shirt,
21:20but not for long.
21:22When the King of Old Trafford, Eric Cantona,
21:24retired from football in May 1997,
21:27he was handed the coveted number 7.
21:30Like the young Ronaldo,
21:32Beckham's acquisition of the number 7 shirt
21:36was met with grumbling disapproval by many of the club's fans.
21:44Despite the rumblings,
21:46Beckham's football skills and profile
21:48continued to improve at a lightning pace.
21:53In the 1998-99 season,
21:55he was part of the united team that took out the Holy Trinity
21:59of the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League,
22:03a unique feat in English football.
22:07However, it was Beckham's red card in the 1998 World Cup
22:11that stole most of the headlines for that year.
22:15Like Cristiano Ronaldo in 2006,
22:18Beckham's 1998 World Cup campaign
22:21was shrouded with controversy.
22:25Many supporters and journalists blamed Beckham
22:28for England's elimination from the World Cup,
22:31even though he had clearly been a victim
22:33of a poor refereeing decision.
22:36To make matters worse,
22:38Beckham also received death threats after the World Cup
22:41and rumours started to speculate
22:43that he would have to move overseas
22:45to continue his football career.
22:50To his and his family's credit,
22:52Beck stayed strong and played for nearly another five years
22:56with his much-loved Manchester United.
22:58During his time with Man U,
23:00he made 265 Premier League appearances for United
23:04and scored 61 goals.
23:06He also made 81 Champions League appearances,
23:09scoring 15 goals.
23:11Beckham won six Premiership titles,
23:13two FA Cups, one European Cup,
23:16one Intercontinental Cup
23:18and one FA Youth Cup in the space of 12 years.
23:22Ultimately, it was Beckham's ever-increasing fame
23:25outside the game that led to his transfer to Real Madrid
23:28on July 1, 2003.
23:31The rumour mill suggested that Sir Alex
23:33grew tired of Beckham's inability
23:35to commit 100% to his football,
23:38and as tension grew between the two,
23:40they both agreed a transfer was the best solution.
23:44Despite his dislike for Beckham's extracurricular activities,
23:48Alex Ferguson would no doubt miss the attention
23:51that he had brought to Man United.
23:54Recognised as the most marketable sportsperson on the planet,
23:59Beckham did a lot more for the Red Devils
24:01than just play football.
24:03There was his global profile
24:05and the sheer revenue that the Beckham brand
24:07brings to anything it attaches its name to.
24:10With Beckham on board,
24:12the club could count on crowd numbers,
24:14merchandise sales
24:16and even television ratings to skyrocket.
24:19And that kind of value is worth paying the big bucks for,
24:22whether or not he can kick a ball.
24:25His popularity around the world is unsurpassed.
24:28This enabled his club side to market itself
24:31to areas of the globe
24:32that they'd never been able to reach in the past.
24:35His rock star following throughout Asia
24:38is a multi-million dollar industry in itself.
24:41Obsessed Japanese and Chinese fans
24:44will buy almost anything from the club
24:47In early 2008,
24:49a Chinese manufacturer named a range of condoms
24:52after the soccer superstar.
24:54According to the brand's marketing spiel,
24:56buying a packet of these condoms
24:58will enable users to score in the bedroom
25:01like Becks does on the pitch.
25:05Even without securing David Beckham's permission
25:08to use his name,
25:09the condom is now available for purchase
25:11at the club's website.
25:13The magnitude of the Beckham phenomenon
25:15sweeping across Asia
25:17persuaded mobile phone manufacturer Motorola
25:20to jump on board the bandwagon
25:22and become a major sponsor.
25:24Having seen what Beckham did
25:26for former sponsor Vodafone's profile,
25:28Motorola hoped its new star
25:30would help it make a similar impression on the market.
25:34Motorola joined the likes of Adidas,
25:36Nike,
25:37Nike Air,
25:38Nike Air,
25:39Nike Air,
25:40Nike Air,
25:41Motorola joined the likes of Adidas,
25:43Motorola joined the likes of Adidas,
25:44Emporio Armani,
25:45Emporio Armani,
25:46Police,
25:47Sharpie and Pepsi
25:48as products that Becks currently endorses.
25:55At just 18 years of age,
25:57Cristiano Ronaldo was handed the responsibility
26:00of filling the void that Beckham had left,
26:02not just on the pitch,
26:04but off the field as well.
26:06With Becks out of the picture,
26:08Merchandise sales were bound to decrease.
26:10Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United
26:13needed to provide the fans with a new hero,
26:16and quickly, otherwise the super club
26:18would be facing a serious drop in income.
26:22Ronaldo's first job was to win the faith
26:25of the sceptical Man U fans.
26:27The pressure to come up with the goods was intense.
26:34Wearing the number worn by past greats
26:36like George Best,
26:39Eric Cantona,
26:41and more recently, David Beckham,
26:43the fans' expectations of Ronaldo
26:46were higher than any first gamer could imagine.
26:50He got his first opportunity to ease the nerves
26:52and show his new teammates and fans what he could do
26:55against Bolton two weeks after his signing.
26:59Ronaldo wasted little time in showing off his sublime skills
27:02with a stunning 30-minute debut
27:05that saw the young Portuguese prodigy
27:07dazzle the Bolton defence
27:08and please the home crowd with a 4-0 victory.
27:12After 39 appearances and eight brilliant goals,
27:15including the opener in the FA Cup final win over Millwall,
27:19he was named the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year for 2003-04.
27:25The Matt Busby Award is presented
27:27to the best Manchester United player of the season,
27:30as voted for by the fans,
27:32and in his very first season of EPL football,
27:35Ronaldo had managed to win the hearts and admiration of the fans,
27:39who 12 months earlier were doubting his untried talent.
27:43Ronaldo surpassed all expectations and a star was born.
27:47Unfortunately, his second year at the club
27:50did not live up to his all-conquering first season.
27:53However, it wasn't all second-year blues for the new star.
27:57Timely late-season form saw him end the season
28:00with nine goals in 50 appearances,
28:02a respectable return for a midfielder.
28:05In 2005-06,
28:08Ronnie again reserved his best form for the latter half of the season.
28:12However, it was during this season
28:14that he tested his ties with his new club and team-mates.
28:21In true number seven form,
28:22and following in the footsteps of George, Eric and David,
28:26Ronaldo was faced with a scandal
28:28that saw many of his fans quickly turn against him.
28:31The incident with team-mate Wayne Rooney in the 2006 World Cup
28:36left Ronaldo feeling alone and possibly homesick
28:39for the first time since arriving at Manchester United.
28:45His first two seasons had been a dream,
28:47the perfect start for a new player.
28:50The World Cup debacle ended that fairy tale
28:53and his dream quickly turned into a nightmare.
28:56Ronaldo was left with a big decision to make.
28:59Should he stay and face the fans
29:01who had been taunting and abusing him over the incident,
29:04or should he leave England and play for another club?
29:09His World Cup form had aroused the interest of many big European clubs,
29:13who saw the potential for the best young player in the world
29:16to leave their side for years to come.
29:20However, whether he was swayed by the implorings of the coaching staff
29:24and Wayne Rooney's heartfelt apology,
29:26or the mystic power of the number seven,
29:29Ronaldo opted to face his fears and play on at Old Trafford.
29:34His bravery was rewarded when, upon returning to his home ground,
29:38Manchester United fans chanted,
29:40there's only one Ronaldo, during a 5-1 win over Fulham.
29:45In the wake of the World Cup incident,
29:47Ronaldo seemed to change up a gear
29:49and add an extra dimension to his already impressive game.
29:55Only months after returning,
29:57he received back-to-back Barclays Player of the Month honours,
30:00becoming only the third player in the Premier League history to do so,
30:04after Dennis Bergkamp in 1997 and Robbie Fowler in 1996.
30:11In that same amazingly eventful year,
30:13Rooney scored his 50th career goal for Manchester United
30:17against local rivals Manchester City,
30:19as United claimed their first Premier League title in four years.
30:25United's title success was ultimately a team effort,
30:29but one player was central to almost every major victory.
30:33The title campaign began with the devastating 5-1 win over Fulham,
30:37with Ronaldo and Rooney running the show
30:40and very publicly dismissing claims that the two were at odds.
30:45Dazzling wing play was backed with regular assists and crucial goals,
30:49including seven in five games over Christmas.
30:52Ronaldo had taken the next step.
30:57Not only was his brilliant season duly noted by his fans and the club,
31:02his performances on field won him the recognition
31:05of football followers all over the world.
31:09In that single year, he claimed eight awards,
31:12including the Professional Footballers Association Player of the Year,
31:16Young Player of the Year and Fans Player of the Year,
31:19as well as the Barclays Player of the Season.
31:23He also claimed his second Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year
31:27and made two All-Star teams.
31:30In response to his blistering form and the persistent transfer rumours,
31:34Manchester United management were keen to re-sign Ronaldo
31:38for a contract extension.
31:40Although it was alleged that Man U offered Rooney
31:43an unprecedented £54m five-year deal,
31:47Ronaldo finally signed a five-year, £120,000-per-week extension
31:53with United on April 13,
31:55making him the highest-paid player in team history.
32:00After a season that had surpassed all expectations,
32:03could Ronaldo match, let alone better, such form?
32:10At 21, Ronaldo was now full of confidence.
32:14His quick speed, gravity-defying ball control
32:17and explosive strikes mesmerised, penetrated
32:21and embarrassed opposing defenders on countless occasions.
32:26The 2006-07 season was just a warm-up for Ronaldo.
32:30In 2007-08, he wanted to make a statement,
32:34not only to EPL players, but all players around the world.
32:39Ronaldo was on a mission to claim the title
32:42as the number one footballer on the planet
32:45and believed that he could lead Man U through yet another winning season.
33:01A trip home mid-season to play at his old club
33:04seemed to spur him on even more.
33:07He was keen to impress his old team-mates
33:10and winning was on his mind.
33:15It's good for me to see some of my friends and colleagues,
33:19to return to a club where I played for many years.
33:22Clearly, it's always special.
33:25I think the game will be normal.
33:29Of course, I will play with the aim of winning
33:32because these are the colours that I have worn for five years
33:35and of course, I think the team will enter the match very well,
33:39respecting the opponent.
33:42I think sporting has a good team,
33:44but I believe Manchester is better
33:46and we will do our best to clinch the victory.
33:51I'm very happy to be here.
33:53I think I will be well received.
33:55I hope things go well
33:57and people from both sides can enjoy a good game.
34:01The trip down memory lane reminded Ronaldo
34:04how far he had come in such a short time
34:07and on returning to the EPL, he played inspired football.
34:12Ronaldo scored his first hat-trick for Manchester United
34:15in a 6-0 win against Newcastle United at Old Trafford in January 2008,
34:20bringing Manchester United up to the top of the Premier League table.
34:25He scored his 23rd league goal of the season
34:28in a 2-0 win against Reading,
34:30equalling his entire total for the 2006-07 season,
34:34with still half of the 2007-08 season remaining.
34:39His explosive form befuddled defenders
34:42and plans on how to stop or contain him
34:44became a regular topic in changing rooms and at press conferences.
34:50Italian defender Paolo Maldini
34:52discussed some of the tactics he would use to stop Ronaldo.
34:56In any case, it isn't really an issue because we don't man-mark.
35:00We have a different way of marking.
35:03Obviously, Ronaldo is someone who moves around a lot,
35:06so we will mark him zonally
35:08and he'll be picked up by whoever's close to him.
35:12So to a certain extent, he will decide who marks him
35:15depending on which areas of the pitch he goes into.
35:19Anyway, I'm still pretty fast,
35:21maybe not as fast as I used to be,
35:23but I can still get around.
35:26On March 19, 2008,
35:28Ronaldo captained the team for the very first time
35:31in a home win over Bolton,
35:33even scoring both goals in the 2-0 victory.
35:37The first of the goals was his 33rd of the campaign,
35:40which set a new club single-season scoring record by a midfielder.
35:45Ronaldo had transformed himself from a threatening winger
35:48who scored on the odd occasion
35:50to a goal-kicking machine who could outscore the strikers.
35:55In the first leg of the 2007-08 Champions League semi-final
35:59against Barcelona, Ronaldo made all the difference,
36:02despite missing a crucial penalty.
36:04Sir Alex was more than pleased with his performance.
36:08Maybe asking Wainwright to play a different position
36:11and also Jason Park,
36:13a different type of role from what he normally does,
36:16put an onus on us more to the defence than the attack.
36:20Because I thought in Ronaldo we had the player who could win the match.
36:24He was an absolute threat the whole night for us.
36:28And I think that if we'd have got the better support from him,
36:32I think we would have won.
36:34Ronaldo waxed fatalistic about the missed penalty.
36:39Well, it's not a problem. Sometimes you score, sometimes you don't.
36:44I missed today, no problem.
36:46If you have a second opportunity in Manchester,
36:49if you have a penalty, I try to score again.
36:52Well, football is like that.
36:54Sometimes you miss, sometimes you score, not a problem.
36:58In the 2007-08 Champions League final
37:01against league rivals Chelsea,
37:03Cristiano Ronaldo scored the opening goal after 26 minutes.
37:07Less than 20 minutes later, Chelsea equalised.
37:10Ronaldo, who is usually deadly from the penalty spot,
37:13missed again during the penalty shoot-out
37:16and put Chelsea in a position to win the trophy.
37:19Fortunately, John Terry shot wide after slipping on the pitcher's surface
37:24and Manchester United emerged victorious 6-5 on penalties.
37:32The final whistle of the Champions League final
37:36Ronaldo was named the UEFA Fans' Man of the Match
37:40and wrapped up the campaign with a career high of 42 goals in all competitions,
37:45falling just too short of Ruud van Nistelrooy's team record mark of 44 in 2002-03.
37:54Consequently, Ronaldo finished the season with another huge trophy haul,
37:59winning the PFA Players' Player of the Season,
38:02Fans' Player of the Season
38:04and the Barclays Player of the Season for the second year running.
38:08He also managed his third Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year,
38:12as well as winning the Barclays Golden Boot,
38:15the UEFA Champions League top scorer
38:17and the European Golden Shoe for finishing with the highest amount of goals
38:21scored by a European player in club football.
38:24He had also topped the single season record of 32 goals by a midfielder
38:29that had been held for 40 years by a player
38:32who shared some striking similarities with Ronaldo.
38:36Like Ronaldo, George Best was a football prodigy.
38:40He burst onto the scene in the late 60s
38:43and took the world by storm with his explosive speed,
38:46mesmerising ball control and ability to score goals from either foot.
38:54Playing as a winger, Best, like Ronaldo,
38:57scored just as many goals as he set up,
39:00redefining the role of the midfielder
39:02and making it almost impossible to play on.
39:05Along with football legend Bobby Charlton,
39:08it was Best who rebuilt the Man Utd side
39:11after the tragic Munich Air disaster on February 6, 1958.
39:16When scout Bob Bishop discovered him as a 15-year-old,
39:20his telegram to Matt Busby, then manager of Manchester United,
39:25read simply,
39:29Best debuted for Manchester United in 1963
39:33and his footballing skills and on-field delivery
39:36were never called into question.
39:39Unfortunately, however, it was what Best got up to off the pitch
39:43that started raising serious doubts.
39:45Perhaps there were just too many distractions.
39:48A year after he signed with Man U,
39:51the BBC launched a weekly TV programme called Match of the Day
39:55and unlike earlier champions,
39:57whose celebrity had been confined to pictures in the papers,
40:00Best's goals and good looks were broadcast to millions.
40:06Television made him football's first superstar.
40:09He was sought after for everything from appearances on Top of the Pops
40:13to this charity match against a team of models.
40:17Best became known for playing as hard off the pitch as he did on.
40:21His partying ways hit the headlines and he lapped up the attention.
40:26Despite his rock star celebrity,
40:28he continued to play well on the pitch, well, at least at first.
40:33In the 1967-68 season, Best helped his club side win the European Cup
40:39at Wembley Stadium, scoring in their 4-1 demolition of Benfica.
40:44Best was also named the 1968 European Footballer of the Year
40:48at just 22 years of age.
40:51Demonstrating the same sort of prodigious talent that Ronaldo shows today,
40:56Best had the world at his feet
40:58and his career could have gone through the roof.
41:01Unfortunately, it was all downhill from then on.
41:05The steady decline of his interest in football
41:08coincided with his increasing commitment to partying
41:11and before he knew it, he was no longer the best.
41:15At 26, just four years after that famous night at Wembley,
41:19he decided to leave Manchester United.
41:22Although he tried to make comebacks,
41:24George Best's serious playing years were behind him.
41:28After battling with alcoholism most of his life,
41:31he sadly lost his battle in 2005.
41:34He died aged 59.
41:37George Best's famous fall from grace
41:39has served as an effective warning to many players
41:42who have had fame and fortune thrust upon them at a young age.
41:47While Ronaldo has so far managed to keep a grip on his footballing career,
41:51he does share some of George Best's off-field traits.
42:04His career is still in its early stages,
42:07but already Ronaldo has been at the centre of plenty of controversy
42:11both on and off the field.
42:13Almost before his career had begun,
42:15his signing with CD Nacional was the subject of dispute
42:19and no doubt would have made headlines in the local newspapers.
42:23With two clubs eager to sign Ronaldo, who was only 11 at the time,
42:27the larger club, Maritimo, missed an important meeting with Ronnie's manager
42:32and consequently lost their opportunity to sign him.
42:35To this day, Maritimo must look back on their missed opportunity
42:39with a sick feeling in their stomachs.
42:43Ronaldo went on to make international headlines
42:46when he crossed boots with fellow teammate Wayne Rooney
42:49at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
42:52This public display of disagreement
42:55created not only trouble for Ronaldo back in England,
42:58it also kick-started rumbles that the right-winger would leave Man Utd.
43:03Although the rumours were squashed by management
43:06and Ronaldo's return to Old Trafford,
43:08the whisperings about a potential transfer have never gone away.
43:12Most recently, the speculation has centred around
43:15a possible move to Real Madrid,
43:17following in the footsteps of former Man U number seven David Beckham.
43:21Enormous transfer figures have been thrown around
43:24by the members of the media,
43:26who have made the reasonable assumption
43:28that Real would need to part with a record sum of cash
43:31to secure the services of the world's best attacking midfielder.
43:35Real, now in redevelopment in the wake of the Galacticos' days
43:39of the early to mid-2000s,
43:41are in desperate need of a marquee player
43:44with the skills and pulling power of a Cristiano Ronaldo,
43:47having lost three talented midfielders
43:50in quick succession to other clubs and retirement.
43:53Although the departure of David Beckham
43:55would have been sorely felt at the merchandise stands,
43:58it is Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane
44:01who have left the largest holes in the Super Club's starting line-up.
44:05Zidane, who retired just before the 2006 World Cup,
44:10was winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year Award
44:13on three occasions.
44:15He had become the heart and soul of Real Madrid,
44:18and it was his playmaking that had set up the majority of goals
44:21during his five-year tenure with the club.
44:24If there were one player who could hope to fill the shoes
44:27of the formidable Zidane,
44:29it would surely be Cristiano Ronaldo.
44:32While Zidane believes that Real would have no trouble
44:35in coming up with the money to buy Ronaldo,
44:37he says that the decision on where he plays football
44:40will ultimately fall to Ronaldo himself.
44:46I think he's had a superb season.
44:49He won the Championship and the Champions League.
44:53I think he stopped at the quarter-finals of Euro 2008
44:57because facing him was a great German team
45:00who caused them a lot of problems.
45:04It doesn't take anything away from the success that he's had all year.
45:08I think he's not far away from winning the Ballon d'Or,
45:12and it would be deserved.
45:16As for his transfer to Real Madrid,
45:19Real would not be frightened of paying a large sum of money
45:22because every time in the past when they have wanted a player,
45:26they have managed to bring him to Madrid.
45:31Obviously, it will be up to the player.
45:34If he wants to go, one day or another he will be at Real Madrid.
45:40In 2007-08, Ronaldo scored 42 times from 48 appearances with Man U
45:46and set up countless other goals for his teammates.
45:50His lightning turn of speed can easily pierce any opposing defence,
45:54and combined with his perfect vision, extraordinary imagination
45:58and blistering strikes,
46:00it's no wonder that Real are keen to see Ronaldo dressed in the all-whites.
46:04After Euro 2008, Ronaldo, who was recovering from ankle surgery,
46:09was open about the possibility of a transfer.
46:14We'll see what happens in the next few days.
46:17I enjoyed reading Blatter's words.
46:20I can't clear out anything else.
46:22Now I just need to recover well.
46:28When questioned about his injured ankle, he added,
46:31I don't think the injury will have any influence
46:34on going to Real Madrid or staying with Manchester United.
46:39Despite the media circus surrounding the young Portuguese winger,
46:43national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was confident
46:46that the extra attention wouldn't affect his game.
46:51We are here to support him,
46:54no matter what he will decide in the future.
46:57He will always be with us.
46:59He will always be one of us.
47:03With his quality on the pitch and his behaviour off the pitch,
47:07you can rest assured Ronaldo will do a great tournament.
47:15He doesn't have any personal problems,
47:17especially regarding club transfers, to keep him awake at night.
47:23Manchester United, who have already lost a few players to Spanish clubs,
47:27need to stay on top of their game
47:29if they hope to hold on to their number one star.
47:34But how much is he really worth to them?
47:37There are no doubts about Ronaldo's recent form on field.
47:41As the perpetrator of every defender's worst nightmare,
47:44he remains unstoppable.
47:46However, off the field,
47:48Ronaldo is starting to show a few chinks in his armour.
47:51Of course, there is nothing wrong with enjoying a few drinks with friends
47:55after a hard day's work,
47:57but Ronny has been known to take it that one step further.
48:00Consequently, he has found himself mixed up in some rather unsavoury scandals,
48:05much to the delight of the British gutter press.
48:08News of the World, an English tabloid
48:11renowned for its sensationalist reporting style,
48:14labelled the Manchester United player a prostitute-loving soccer ace
48:19after an alleged sleazy rendezvous with two call girls in Rome.
48:24Since being cleared of rape in 2005,
48:27the Portuguese winger has consistently found himself
48:30in sticky situations off the field.
48:33After a win against EPL side Aston Villa in late April of 2008,
48:38Ronaldo found himself in hot water again
48:41after flying to Rome for a night out.
48:43While he was there, he supposedly took a trip to the city's seedy red-light district
48:48where he arranged for two female escorts to come back with him to his hotel.
48:53According to the News of the World,
48:55Ronaldo and an unknown friend made the most of their time in Rome.
48:59They began their big night out at the notorious Diva Futura channel club
49:04where they allegedly indulged in several 120-pound bottles of champagne,
49:0916-pound beers, as well as the odd private lap dance.
49:14This incident was not entirely out of character for the Manchester United winger.
49:20Just four months earlier, Ronaldo had been linked to a wild party
49:24where five prostitutes were hired to entertain him and his Portuguese teammate Nani
49:29and Brazilian colleague Anderson.
49:31The women involved were keen to sell their story to the English tabloids
49:35after their unforgettable night with three young soccer superstars.
49:39The most recent scandal was not only met with disapproval by his girlfriend,
49:44it also raised the hackles of manager Alex Ferguson,
49:47whose beloved Man U pride themselves on being a family-orientated club with morals.
49:53Not surprisingly, speculation about Ronaldo's potential transfer to Spanish super club Real Madrid
50:00gathered renewed momentum in the wake of this latest scandal.
50:04If he stays at United, Sir Alex will be keeping a firm grip on the wayward young star
50:09and setting him straight as he did with Wayne Rooney after a similar incident in late 2006.
50:16No doubt he'll be reminding Ronaldo that he needs to find a way to keep his private life private
50:21and keep his focus on his first love, football.
50:25If not, he could be destined to follow in the footsteps of other fallen greats like George Best
50:32or Diego Maradona.
50:41With his whole career in front of him, the future looks bright for Cristiano Ronaldo.
50:46Still in his mid-twenties, he is yet to reach the pinnacle of his footballing potential.
50:51There is no doubt in anyone's mind that he has the makings of a soccer legend.
50:56However, the decisions he makes now will be crucial in determining just how great a player he will ultimately become.
51:04A transfer to another club is likely, as very few players play out their whole career at the one club
51:10and a change of scenery often injects a timely shot of adrenaline into a stagnating career.
51:16Already breaking records in the EPL and Europe, the first and most important decision Ronaldo needs to make
51:23is what he wants from the game.
51:25If he is happy with being labelled a great player while still being able to enjoy the off-field perks of his superstar status,
51:32then he may take a similar path to the likes of Best and Maradona.
51:36But if he truly wants to be the best, he will need to look to more positive role models for inspiration.
51:42If he follows in the footsteps of Luis Figo or Zinedine Zidane, there are no limits to what Ronaldo could achieve.
51:50In the eyes of some of the game's most knowledgeable insiders,
51:54he is already well on his way to becoming one of the greatest footballers of all time.