Without question, Ronaldo Nazario is one of the greatest strikers to ever grace the beautiful game – and across his goal-laden career, he played in plenty of iconic stadiums. But there was one ground in Britain that, in the eyes of the Brazilian, stood taller than the rest as those inside once applauded him off.
Supporters are the 12th man in any stadium – they can get behind a team, taunt opponents, provide everything else in between. And to catch the eye of one of the greatest footballers to ever live in the affectionally monikered R9 is an achievement in itself.
Over the years, the do-it-all centre-forward played across Europe with such passion and intensity, which is something that crowds feed off. But forget Liverpool’s Anfield or Highbury, the previous stomping ground of Arsenal, there was one English club that holds a special place in the Brazilian's heart.
Greatest Strikers of all-time in football featuring Ronaldo, Pele and Thierry Henry Related
20 Greatest Strikers in Football History (Ranked)
Thierry Henry, Pele and Ronaldo all feature on this list of the greatest number nines of all-time.
When Old Trafford Applauded Ronaldo
'It was a truly magical moment for me, one of the most important in my life'
Ronaldo – who turned out for the likes of Barcelona, Inter Milan and PSV Eindhoven – may never have played for an English club throughout his esteemed career but he did play against many: and that included Manchester United, a club steeped in rich history.
Their stadium, Old Trafford, is one that can have a lasting impression on players that step foot onto the pitch in front of a roaring 74,130-strong capacity, none more so than Ronaldo, who put together a three-goal performance in 2003 while plying his trade for Real Madrid. Have a look for yourself below:
“My best performance was a Champions League match against Manchester United at Old Trafford,” the two-time World Cup winner with Brazil said, per Manchester Evening News. “It was a beautiful open match in which I managed to score three goals, it was truly spectacular.”
Ronaldo and his teammates may have lost 4-3 on the night, but his hat-trick proved exactly what he was about: scoring goals in rampant fashion against the most stellar sides in Europe. And there was a moment that will forever be etched in his memory – and that was when he substituted in the 67th minute.
A salute to one of the finest footballers of a star-studded generation, those associated with the Premier League juggernauts stood up to applaud the hat-trick hero, the protagonist of the seven-goal thriller some would say. On the Theatre of Dreams's heartwarming gesture, he continued:
“However, the best moment of the match was when I got replaced because all the people in the stadium gave me a standing ovation, my rivals were doing that.”
“Everybody was standing, I really wasn’t expecting that. I was very surprised by the spontaneity of the moment from a rival crowd,” the 99-cap, 62-goal Brazil international said. “It was a truly magical moment for me, one of the most important in my life.”
It’s common knowledge that Sir Alex Ferguson was a big fan of the Rio de Janeiro-born marksman and, on that special night, Old Trafford bellowed out: ‘Fergie, Fergie, sign him up!’. Blissfully unaware of the chants, Ronaldo spoke to Mail Online about that moment.
'No, but it was a special night. I came away from that game in love with the United fans because I got that recognition after such a tough defeat for them and they did it as if it was normal. I have the photo in my house when I'm going off the pitch and you can see the supporters in the background applauding, it's a lovely picture.”
Best teenagers in football history Related
15 Best Teenagers in Football History (Ranked)
A select group of elite talents have risen to the top of the game before turning 20. Here are the best footballing teenagers of all time.