Cristiano Ronaldo is back at United – we remember stealing the limelight in the club's first game.
It's been 12 years since Cristiano Ronaldo last represented United in the Champions League, but his brilliant performances in the competition are still vivid.
From his long wait for his first goal in the group stage to his signature header that allowed the Red Devils to lift the trophy in 2008, the Portuguese icon's journey has never been boring. Let's review his first top five performances on the European stage at the club.
Manchester United 7-1 Roma (Quarter-final second leg, 10/04/2007)
Surprisingly, it took 27 games for a man with 134 Champions League goals (group stage to final) to score for the first time. Breaking that duck was timely – United lost 2-1 to Roma in the first leg – and his ability to stand up in a crucial game and be counted began with this quarter-final tiebreaker.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side have led by three points at Old Trafford, but the aggregate score is 4-2 and is not guaranteed to be in the bottom four. Ronaldo changed either side of the half-time, starting his first drill from the edge of the penalty area in the 44th minute before sliding into a provocative cross that converted Ryan Giggs shortly after halftime. The floodgates for the Red Devils and Ronaldo have been opened.
Sport CP 0-1 Manchester United (Group Stage, 19/09/2007)
Ronaldo's performance in Portugal's pre-season friendlies against Manchester United in 2003 was so sensational that Ferguson's players pleaded with their manager to sign the precocious genius immediately. He did it – and it turned out to be a trick. The 2007 Red Devils group stage debut was a strong comeback from Ronaldo, and unsurprisingly, he took center stage.
Within an hour, the host could have been the better side, but the man at the time stepped forward and met Wes Brown's cross with a diving header. Ronaldo refused to celebrate and almost apologized to the home fans, responding with applause when the shooter's name was announced. It was the right end to a heartbreaking night.
Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea (Final, 21/05/2008)
Portugal Sport's goal was the first of seven Ronaldo to reach the final, making the then 23-year-old Ronaldo the top scorer of that season's game. All that's missing is his first Champions League title medal in his career, and United's amulet is undeniable.
In the 26th minute of the game, Ronaldo burst in front of Michael Essien on the back post and majestically headed into Brown's cross, his eighth game of the season. Frank Lampard equalised and the match went into a penalty shootout, with Peter Cech's save from Ronaldo appearing to have played a decisive role before John Terry's misstep. After four goals, the trophy will go to Old Trafford.
Porto 0-1 Manchester United (quarter-final second leg, 15/04/2009)
After Porto drew 2-2 with Old Trafford in their dying moments, the holders' hopes of winning a back-to-back Champions League title hung in the air, but, in the moment they needed it, you know who rose to the occasion again.
In the sixth minute, Ronaldo seemed to be in no danger when he received the ball in the middle, but Helton could only grasp it out of thin air, and a 35-meter shot was still rising to turn the tide. It's a goal worth winning any draw and it proves to be key in this game.
Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United (Semi-final second leg, 05/05/2009)
After the first round, after Ferguson's side won 1-0 in their first game at Old Trafford, the second leg could take any path. Can Ronaldo make a difference again? Of course he could—and this time from farther afield.
When United won a free kick from 40 metres away in the 11th minute, the iconic No. 7 had already opened the opening game for Park Ji-sung. Even at this distance, Arsenal have formed a wall, but Ronaldo has only made an unstoppable effort inside Manuel Armonia's near goalpost. He also went home with a third goal of the hour, ending a brilliant Champions League performance on the English coast as the Reds.