The Athletic places Cristiano Ronaldo at No. 10 in its countdown of Manchester United’s 25 greatest players, despite his remarkable first spell at Old Trafford

Cristiano Ronaldo has been ranked 10th among Manchester United’s greatest players by The Athletic, despite his remarkable contribution to the club’s most successful modern era under legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

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The Ronaldo Manchester United ranking was published on Wednesday by football writer Andy Mitten as part of The Athletic’s countdown of the club’s 25 greatest players, recognising the Portugal captain’s achievements across his two spells at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo joined Manchester United from Sporting CP in 2003 and quickly established himself as one of the most exciting young players in world football.

Across his first spell at the club, the forward made 346 appearances and scored 145 goals before completing an £80 million transfer to Real Madrid in 2009, a deal that remains Manchester United’s record sale.

Ronaldo won nine trophies during his initial period at Old Trafford, including three Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League in 2008.

His most extraordinary season came in 2007-08, when he scored 42 goals in all competitions, including 31 Premier League goals, as United secured both the English title and European crown.

That phenomenal campaign also earned Ronaldo the Ballon d’Or, making him the first Manchester United player since George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton to claim the prestigious individual award.

The Athletic also highlighted his other individual honours, including consecutive Premier League Player of the Season awards in 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Ronaldo made further history in 2007 when he became the first player to win the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Fans’ Player of the Year awards in the same season.

His development from an exciting winger into an elite goalscorer was widely attributed to his relentless work ethic and the influence of Ferguson.

Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra recalled Ferguson’s admiration for Ronaldo after the forward scored a stunning long-range goal against Porto in the 2009 Champions League.

“Sir Alex Ferguson’s eyes that night were full of admiration for Ronaldo,” Evra said.

“I looked at him that night in the dressing room and saw how he realised that he had the best player in the world on his side.”

Evra also credited Ferguson with helping Ronaldo become more clinical, saying the former United manager encouraged him to move beyond an overreliance on individual tricks.

“Ferguson made him a killer, made him a man,” Evra said.

Former United captain Gary Neville similarly praised Ronaldo’s extraordinary ability during training sessions.

“He’d do stuff so good I couldn’t even work out how he did it,” Neville wrote in his autobiography.

The forward’s commitment away from the pitch was another defining feature of his rise, according to former United strength and conditioning coach Mike Clegg.

“Cristiano would come back into the gym and do power work for his legs. Then he would go home, eat the right food, swim, sleep… and come back in the next morning,” Clegg said.

Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in 2021 after highly successful spells with Real Madrid and Juventus.

The second spell began positively, with the veteran forward scoring 24 goals in his first season back at Old Trafford.

However, the reunion ultimately ended in acrimony. Ronaldo left the club in November 2022 after a public disagreement with Manchester United, bringing his second stint to an abrupt conclusion.

Despite the difficult ending, The Athletic’s assessment places greater weight on the extraordinary impact of Ronaldo’s first spell at the club.

The publication described him as the most talented player in a Manchester United side that became the best team in the world in 2008, reflecting the scale of his influence during one of the club’s greatest periods.

The Athletic also suggested that Ronaldo could have ranked even higher had he remained at Old Trafford instead of moving to Real Madrid in 2009.

His 10th-place position is therefore likely to provoke debate among Manchester United supporters, particularly given his record, trophy haul and transformation into one of football’s most celebrated players during his time with the club.

Nevertheless, Ronaldo’s place among United’s all-time greats remains secure.

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His goals, trophies and remarkable rise under Ferguson helped define a golden era at Old Trafford and established a legacy that continues to command attention years after his departure.