Cristiano Ronaldo's first days at Manchester United explained by former team-mate

Former Manchester United midfielder Quinton Fortune has revealed how Cristiano Ronaldo predicted his rise to stardom as a teenager.

Ronaldo has come a long way since he first made his move to Old Trafford back in 2003. The Portuguese ace started out as a relative unknown at United, before going on to become one of the greatest players in football history.

Since those early days with the Reds, Ronaldo has gone on to win five Ballon d’Ors, become the highest goalscorer of all time, and win countless trophies with United, Real Madrid and Juventus. Now 37 years old, the forward continues to break records after making his return to United last summer.

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And Ronaldo was never in any doubt about his rise to the top. Speaking exclusively to Ladbrokes at the launch of their 5-A-Side Bet on Brighton vs Man United, former team-mate Fortune revealed the lengths his former team-mate went to in order to single himself out from the rest at a young age.

“I've seen the work Cristiano [Ronaldo] puts in; I've seen it firsthand,” Fortune said. “The determination, the desire, the mindset, you name it, he's got it.

“He just brings that confidence and belief, whether he's 17 or 37 - I remember when he arrived at the club in 2003, he told us that he was going to be the best. That mindset, and the way he's trained since then; putting weights around his ankles and doing stepovers, going to the gym every day, fine-tuning every single part of his game... it's absolutely unbelievable. If any player, young or old, is looking for guidance, there's your man!”

Few could have predicted the meteoric rise Ronaldo would enjoy during those early days at United.