At age 16, Ronaldo was promoted from Sporting's youth team by first-team manager László Bölöni, who was impressed with his dribbling.[22] He subsequently became the first player to play for the club's under-16, under-17 and under-18 teams, the B team and the first team, all
within a single season.[17] A year later, on 29 September 2002, Ronaldo made his debut in the Primeira Liga, against Braga and on 7 October, he scored two goals against Moreirense in their 3–0 win.[23] Over the course of the 2002–03 season, his representatives suggested the player to Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier and Barcelona president Joan Laporta.[24] Manager Arsène Wenger, who was interested in signing Ronaldo, met with him at Arsenal's grounds in November to discuss a possible transfer.[25]
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was determined to acquire Ronaldo on a permanent move urgently, after Sporting defeated United 3–1 at the inauguration of the Estádio José Alvalade in August 2003. Initially, United had planned to sign Ronaldo and loan him back to Sporting for a year.[26] Having been impressed by him, the United players urged Ferguson to sign him. After the game, Ferguson agreed to pay Sporting £12.24 million[26] for what he considered to be "one of the most exciting young players" he had ever seen.[27] A decade after his departure from the club, in April 2013, Sporting honoured Ronaldo by selecting him to become their 100,000th member.[28]
Ronaldo made his debut as a substitute in a 4–0 home win over Bolton Wanderers in the Premier League on 16 August 2003, and received a standing ovation when he came on for Nicky Butt.[35] His performance earned praise from Best, who hailed it as "undoubtedly the most exciting debut" he had ever seen.[29] Ronaldo scored his first goal for Manchester United with a free-kick in a 3–0 win over Portsmouth on 1 November.[36] Three more league goals followed in the second half of the campaign,[37] the last of which came against Aston Villa on the final day of the season, a match in which he also received the first red card of his career.[38] Ronaldo ended his first season in English football by scoring the opening goal in United's 3–0 win over Millwall in the 2004 FA Cup Final, earning his first trophy.[39] BBC pundit Alan Hansen described him as the star of the final.[40] The British press had been critical of Ronaldo during the season for his "elaborate" step-overs in trying to beat opponents,[41] but teammate Gary Neville said he was "not a show pony, but the real thing", and predicted he would become a world-class player.[4
surpassing Di Stéfano's club record of 28.[176] He finished the season with 48 goals, winning a second consecutive Pichichi and the European Golden Shoe for a record fourth time
At the start of his seventh season at Madrid, the 2015–16 campaign, Ronaldo became the club's all-time top scorer, first in the league and then in all competitions. His five-goal haul in a 6–0 away win over Espanyol
ranaldo top player.