Cristiano Ronaldo has been presented by Manchester United at Old Trafford after re-joining the club from Juventus this summer. The Portuguese previously played for the English side between 2003 and 2009, and will be determined to prove that, at 36, he still has what it takes to cut it at the elite level.
Cristiano is widely considered to be one of the greatest footballers to have ever graced the sport. He’s scored 111 goals in 180 games for his country, and is the all-time leading men’s goalscorer in international football. He leaves Juventus having spent three years in Turin, scoring 101 goals in 134 appearances.
He's 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲.
❤️ @Cristiano
#MUFC | #HereWeBelong pic.twitter.com/PyHUw8q9yy— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 9, 2021
At Old Trafford, in that first spell, Cristiano contributed 118 goals in 292 games. Between his time at United and Juventus, he spent nine productive years in La Liga with Real Madrid; it was there, at the Santiago Bernabeu, that he really took his game to the next level, scoring a scarcely believable 450 goals in 438 games.
Let me tell you some clues of the #CR7 transfer (to be discussed at #Euroleagues of @5liveSport from 8.15pm UK time tonight
CR7 and Mendes were negotiating with City. It was their destination of choice and Pep could see the Portuguese striker scoring more than 40 goals a season pic.twitter.com/pK84nw3TAi
— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) September 9, 2021
Guillem Balague later tweeted an interesting claim about the way the transfer developed. He said Cristiano was initially negotiating with Manchester City, and that was the move he wanted. Former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola is said to have envisioned the Portuguese hitting 40 goals per season at the Etihad Stadium.
To sign him, however, City had to move on one of their attacking players, and as they tried to do that time began to drag on. Cristiano needed a Plan B; that’s where United came in. Once they realised he was available they decided Old Trafford simply had to be his destination; they couldn’t let him join City.
