herself to a new country. ‘Ronaldo is pure natural talent,’ she explained. Meanwhile, Cristiano stayed in the background, concentrating on the season ahead and getting to know his team-mates. Somehow, his girlfriend had managed to make a bigger impact than Cristiano himself in these early moments. The newspapers were quick to take photos of the couple as Ronaldo got his first taste of the English media. He and Jordana would split up during the course of the season, but they remain good friends.
The media instantly swarmed around Cristiano. He would be seeing plenty more of them over the years. As the club’s major summer signing, he hit the headlines regularly in his first few weeks in the country and, with the price tag, much was expected of him. Ronaldo tried to take it all in his stride and announced, ‘I am very happy to be signing for the best team in the world, and especially proud to be the first Portuguese player to join Manchester United. I look forward to helping the team achieve even more success in the years to come.’
Yet, some feared that things would be too intimidating for Ronaldo in the early days. After all, he had arrived at one of the biggest clubs in the world. Sporting Lisbon were a top team in their own right but this was another level altogether. He joined the likes of Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville, who had dominated English football and had Champions League winners’ medals to their names. The weight of expectation resting on Ronaldo’s shoulders was immense for a young man.
Cristiano’s week got even better when, two days after signing for United, he was called up to the Portugal senior squad. Manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, or ‘Big Phil’ as the media liked to call him, wanted to see how the youngster fared on the big stage and decided to hand him an opportunity to impress. Ronaldo was stunned, thrilled and nervous all at the same time. He could never have imagined reaching the dizzy heights of the Portugal national team squad at such a young age. There was still a chance for Cristiano to force his way into the Euro 2004 squad too.
Like many United players, he bought an apartment in Alderley Edge – the exclusive Cheshire village where David Beckham had lived. Reports suggested that he had spent £500,000 on the ground-floor apartment. He would not have to look far for United neighbours as Sir Alex Ferguson and Rio Ferdinand both lived close by. At the time, another neighbour told the Manchester Evening News, ‘He will be made to feel very welcome here.’ It was important for Cristiano to find a property so that he could begin to settle in the area. In his favour was the fact that he had experience of arriving on his own in a new city from his days in Lisbon. He understood about adapting and finding ways to feel comfortable in his unfamiliar surroundings. He may have arrived alone but it was not long before his cousin Nuno and his brother-in-law Zé were joining him. The trio spent plenty of time together, playing ping pong and tennis.
That summer, United were linked with a number of high profile signings, ranging from Brazilian attacker Ronaldinho to Arsenal nemesis Patrick Vieira. Everyone expected the club to recruit big-name midfield players, with Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs moving into the latter stages of their careers. Harry Kewell of Leeds was thought to be on the wish list as an eventual replacement for Giggs. Certainly, few mentioned Ronaldo’s name in discussions about possible transfer targets. Probably even fewer had seen him play!
But Sir Alex Ferguson had decided to focus primarily on the long-term future of the club and this was clearly reflected in his dealings in the transfer market. Along with Ronaldo, young stars such as the Brazilian World Cup winner Kleberson and the Cameroon international Eric Djemba-Djemba were brought to Old Trafford as United sought to build towards long-term domination. The previous campaign, in which the team had pipped Arsenal to the Premiership trophy, had lifted the spirits at the club and there were high hopes that United would produce more exhilarating performances with the new, young blood. Ronaldo may have arrived in England as a skinny 18-year-old with braces, but he had the determination to be a star.
Some feared that United would simply be too inexperienced to enjoy success, especially as the club would once again be chasing four trophies. But Ferguson believed that even though Cristiano was young, the winger still had enough experience. ‘At 18, Ronaldo has gained the experience of playing at the highest level in Portugal, so I don’t see that as a problem,’ he said. Also, there were still plenty of old heads in the United dressing room – Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville to name just three – so Ronaldo would have plenty of people to turn to for advice.
Unfortunately, United’s Portuguese assistant manager, Carlos Queiroz, with whom Ronaldo could have spoken in his native tongue, left the club to take over as manager of Real Madrid. It was disappointing for Queiroz, too, as he had worked hard to secure Ronaldo’s transfer to United. It made the start of Cristiano’s time in England a little trickier not having Queiroz there to relay instructions for him in Portuguese.
But things do not always work out as expected. Despite all Ferguson’s plans for United to develop a stranglehold on the Premiership, success would not come automatically, as the new signings took time to adapt to the new language, new team-mates and a new style of play. Arsenal, meanwhile, certainly felt that they had a point to prove after the heartbreaking end to the 2002/03 campaign. Having dominated the league for long periods, second place was a bitter pill to swallow and many of the team’s stars returned with even greater motivation. If United wanted to retain the title, they would be in for a long, hard fight.
As for Cristiano, he was immediately in the headlines as United’s most expensive signing of the summer. Beckham, for all the controversy, had been a phenomenal player for United and Cristiano was stepping into big shoes. But, even in his early days, nothing seemed to faze the Portuguese winger. He did not feature in the FA Community Shield against Arsenal at the Millennium Stadium, a game that United won 4-3 on penalties, but made his mark on his Premiership debut. Bolton were the visitors on the opening day of the season and, with United only leading 1-0 with half an hour to go, Ferguson turned to Ronaldo in a bid to seal the three points. He did not disappoint. For many, this was the first sight of the new man in action and his spellbinding cameo inspired United to a 4-0 victory. He gave the Bolton back four no end of problems, winning a penalty which Ruud van Nistelrooy failed to convert.
Old Trafford was on its feet. Ferguson said, ‘It looks like the fans have a new hero. It was a marvellous debut, almost unbelievable. I felt his penetration could make a difference for us.’ But he ended with a note of caution, ‘We have to be careful with the boy. You must remember he is only 18. We are going to have to gauge when we use him.’
Cristiano had introduced himself to English football fans in the most mesmerising way possible and had whetted their appetite for more. It left everyone wondering just how good the 18-year-old could become. Paul Scholes was certainly impressed. Referring to Ronaldo’s debut, he said, ‘He came from Portugal with a bit of a reputation and last week he lived up to it.’
Francesco Filho, the Brazilian whom Carlos Queiroz recommended to Ferguson as a youth coach, was also excited about Cristiano’s capabilities. Filho claimed, ‘Ronaldo is an exceptional case.’
Ronaldo’s whirlwind adventure continued apace as he joined up with the Portuguese national team; he was now linking up with the same players he had been idolising only years earlier – the likes of Figo and Rui Costa. It was an amazing story. His displays for the Portugal international youth teams were the first indications of his qualities for a worldwide audience. The Portuguese tend to enjoy plenty of success at youth level and Ronaldo was the latest on a long conveyor belt to burst onto the scene.
He made his international debut in a friendly against Kazakhstan on 20 August 2003, just four days after his United debut. It was a routine match against weak opposition, perfect for introducing a new player to the world stage. He came on as a half-time substitute and gave glimpses of his talent, as he savoured every moment in the Portugal shirt. Despite their clear superiority, Cristiano and his team-mates only managed a 1-0 victory. It had given him a taste of international football and he was desperate to cement a place in the squad ahead of Euro 2004, which would be held in Portugal. The prospect of playing a major tournament in front of his home fans greatly excited him and it gave him added motivation to impress at United.
Ferguson helped to keep Ronaldo’s feet on the ground as he was selected as a substitute for two of the next three games. A trip to St. James’ Park to face Newcastle