Cristiano Ronaldo was two great players in one for Manchester United

August 6, 2003. The name 'Ronaldo' flashed up on MUTV. This Ronaldo was quickly dismissed.

"He can't be as good as the Ronaldo," my father quipped. Then this new Ronaldo, Cristiano, danced around Manchester United players as though they were training cones.

Five days later, I returned home from a day at the cricket and switched on teletext. 302. The football page. The headline read, 'UNITED AGREE TO SIGN RONALDO'.

Even back then, Cristiano Ronaldo did not need an introduction. Anyone who had watched United's friendly defeat in the inaugural match at the Jose Alvalade Stadium knew which Ronaldo was bound for United.

One approved. In those silver Nike boots, United had identified a golden boy at the age of 18. Ronaldo would become the fourth United player to receive the Ballon d'Or's golden orb in 2008.

Ronaldo is 40 now and his career, as well as his birthday, merits celebration. He has relocated to the Saudi Arabia retirement home and he calls the shots in the Portugal national team, riding roughshod over coach Roberto Martinez. Ronaldo was raging against the dying of the light in his final months back at United and the light has not switched back on.

His greatness ought to make anyone light up. Young United fans there to witness Ronaldo's homecoming season in 2021-22 will still not realise how privileged they were. He railed against that team's fecklessness and mediocrity and summoned up moments of genuine inspiration. United have not had a consistent and proven goalscorer since Ronaldo in 2021-22.

For those fortunate to watch him during his peak years at Old Trafford, Ronaldo was a throwback. In his early twenties, Ronaldo the winger was comparable with Ryan Giggs and George Best, a wide player who oozed United's