Cristiano Ronaldo Moments [antikvár]

I can recall without any problem the first time I saw Cristiano Ronaldo in action. He was playing in a youth tournament in Portugal and I was lucky enough to have been watching the match on television. Here was a singular talent, so much so, that he made me sit up and take notice. I decided there and then to keep an eye out for the youngster to see if my first impression had been accurate or that I had seen him put in an exceptional one-off performance. The sight of this precociously talented youngster with the lightening pace and equally quick feet eventually, inexplicably, faded from my thoughts, but they were rapidly reignited when Sir Alex Ferguson brought him to Old Trafford from Sporting Club Lisbon. Cristiano had played against Manchester United in a pre-season friendly in the Portuguese capital and made such an impression on the United players that they urged Sir Alex to sign him, whatever it cost! He made his debut, as a second half substitute, against Bolton Wanderers and was an instant hit with the Old Trafford crowd, who, it has to be said, know a little bit about the game. His brief appearance in the side was captivating and he immediately became a firm favourite with the club's supporters. It took Cristiano no time at all to establish himself in the Premiership and he quickly went from strength to strength under Sir Alex's careful guidance. Football supporters adore exciting players who possess flair and individual ability, and Cristiano certainly slots comfortably into that category. Already an integral part ofthe Portuguese national side, he had a fine 2006 World Cup in Germany, but was caught up in that controversial incident, involving Wayne Rooney, which had England supporters up in arms. He had to expect a rough ride when the new season began, but a new Cristiano emerged from jeers and boos as an even more accomplished professional. The derision quickly evaporated as the people who had sought to deride him realised that their efforts were merely inspiring the Manchester United winger Manchester United proceeded to claim their 16th league championship, with Cristiano instrumental in that success. He had silenced all the critics who expressed the view that he wouldn't be able to handle the pressure from the England fans, and I even suspect that some of them harboured a grudging admiration for the youngster as the season reached its dramatic climax. It has been a pleasure to watch him over the past few years and I look forward, with relish, to future seasons and witnessing Cristiano's development into an even more exceptional player. We at Old Trafford are proud that his future is to be at Old Trafford, which can only be good for the club and equally beneficial for Cristiano, a truly great talent! Sir Bobby Charlton