FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

Cristiano Ronaldo Santos Aveiro is undoubtedly one of the hottest young talents in world football. With his surging runs and dazzling skills performed at blistering pace, comparisons with his Brazilian namesake have been inevitable. This Ronaldo is a star in his own right, however.
Born on the island of Madeira on 5 February 1985, he began his footballing formation with Nacional before a 2002 transfer to Lisbon giants Sporting, at the age of 17. The winger’s rise to stardom since then has been nothing short of meteoric. During his first and only season with the Lions in 2002/03, he played in 25 games and scored three goals.

Arguably the key moment of Cristiano Ronaldo’s career was a pre-season friendly in 2003 between Sporting and Manchester United. Scouts at the English club had been monitoring the young forward’s progress for some time, but it was only after he starred in Sporting’s 3-1 friendly win that United manager Sir Alex Ferguson decided to make his move and sign him.

Ferguson later revealed that in the dressing room after the game his players talked constantly about the young Ronaldo. Even on the plane journey back to Manchester, the United players pleaded with their boss to sign the young star. Other big teams such as Milan and Juventus made enquiries with the Lisbon club over a possible move, but Manchester United were quickest to act, and within a week had officially announced the signing of Portugal’s latest teenage sensation.

Tricks of the trade
Undaunted by his star billing, Ronaldo showed off his full range of trickery on his Manchester United debut against Bolton Wanderers in August 2003, making an immediate impression on the Old Trafford fans. In his first campaign in England, he scored eight goals in 39 games, including the opener in United’s FA Cup final win over Millwall. His string of fine displays culminated in him receiving the club’s player of the year award.

Ronaldo has been equally impressive at international level, and is highly regarded by national team boss Luiz Felipe Scolari. Scolari’s belief in the youngster was rewarded with Ronaldo’s excellent performances in UEFA EURO 2004, despite the team’s eventual defeat in the final against surprise champions Greece. During the tournament, Ronaldo became an established first-team regular as well as the star performer in a team that would go on to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ with the minimum amount of fuss.

Portugal’s manager has high hopes for his young charge. “Cristiano has everything needed to be one of the stars of the World Cup," said Scolari. "He’s got so much quality about him, a good turn of pace and a decent shot among other things. If all goes well, he’ll probably be one of the big names of the tournament. I gave him his chance in only our second match of the European Championship and he showed what a decisive player he can be. He’s rewarded my faith in him and has really grown in stature,” the coach said.

The Portuguese wing wizard’s game goes from strength to strength with every passing season as he adapts to the English game and impresses Manchester United and Portugal fans alike. His repertoire of tricks and array of skills continue to leave opposition defenders mesmerised, and could prove to be a key factor in his country’s bid for success in Germany this summer.

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UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

Pace, power and a box of tricks to strike fear into the most talented of defenders, Cristiano Ronaldo underlined his status as one of Europe's rising stars with a series of scintillating dispays at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Club
Born in Madeira, Ronaldo joined Sporting Clube de Portugal from CD Nacional in 1997. Made his debut against FC Internazionale Milano in the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round and after a whirlwind season joined United on 13 August 2003 for €17.5m, a world-record fee for a teenager. Having been handed the No7 shirt vacated by David Beckham, he struggled before dazzling, and scoring, in the 2004 FA Cup final. He lifted the trophy again the following season and the League Cup in 2006.

National team
A youth international at all levels, Ronaldo made his full debut in August 2003 against Kazakhstan and went on to establish himself as a regular before UEFA EURO 2004™, where his displays, and two goals, earned the winger a place in the All-Star Squad and Portugal a spot in the final, where the hosts lost to Greece. Subsequently competed at the Athens Olympics and the World Cup, where further disappointment followed in the semi-finals against France.

Did you know?
Ronaldo was named after the late American president Ronald Reagan.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

UEFA EURO 2004™ player's profile

Greatly admired by Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United FC manager had no hesitation in handing this tricky and unpredictable winger the No7 shirt vacated by David Beckham in summer 2003.

National team
An Under-18 and Under-21 international with Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo made his full debut in August 2003 when coming on in the second half of a 1-0 victory against Kazakhstan and was a regular as UEFA EURO 2004™ approached.

Club
Born in Madeira in August 1985, Ronaldo joined Sporting Clube de Portugal from CD Nacional in 1997. Made his debut for the Lisbon club against Internazionale FC in the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, and went on make 25 appearances - starting eleven of them - in his only season at Sporting. Joined United on 13 August 2003 - the same day as Kleberson - for €17.5m, a world-record fee for a teenager.

2003/04: Took a while to adapt to English football but overall enjoyed a promising debut season in the Premiership, making 29 appearances. Ronaldo capped his season by dazzling in the FA Cup final, opening the scoring in the victory against Millwall FC.

Did you know?
Ronaldo was named after the former United States president Ronald Reagan.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

BBC's UEFA EURO 2004 player's profile

Cristiano Ronaldo set a world record transfer fee for a teenager when Manchester United paid £12.24m for him in August 2003.

Sir Alex Ferguson was quick to snap up the tricky Sporting Lisbon winger after his display against United in a pre-season friendly.

He suffered criticism from the British press in his first few months at Old Trafford for his over-elaborate stepovers when trying to beat a man.

But Ronaldo has since become a firm favourite with the United supporters.

His pace and quick feet marked the Maderia-born youngster out at an early age and he was fast tracked into Portugal's youth sides.

He made a big impression playing for the Under-21 side and was handed his full international debut a week signing for Manchester United.

©bbc.co.uk 2004. All rights reserved.