Manchester United came third in the Premier League and has fallen from the Champions League in the last 16 stages against Porto from Jose Mourinho (although he has won the FA Cup).
After a hectic low season in which Ferguson lost to David Beckham and Juan Sebastian Veron, as well as Miss Ronaldinho, the Scot took his appearance in Portugal for a friendly with Sporting CP.
And a thin Portuguese teenager inspired Sir Alex so much that five days later he signed him for 12.5 million pounds.
Just four days later, Ronaldo entered the bench for the first game of the main league season of his new team against Bolton Wanderers at Old Trafford.
He replaced Nicky Butt after 61 minutes, and the thin 18-year-old electrified, embarrassed the away defense and gave The Stretford End a new hero.
Here, SunSport takes a look at what happened to those who were in The look of Ronaldo that day.
The goalkeeper is a football legend, but Howard never convinced himself that he had what it took to be Man United’s number one, despite his 77 appearances with Sir Alex’s team.
He left for Everton in 2006 after Edwin van der Sar fell into the line of order and continued to play for the Toffees, appearing 413 times and fitting a cult hero in Goodison Park.
At 41, he still plays, coming out of retirement at Memphis 901 FCArray … the equipment he owns.
Another who left Old Trafford for Everton to become a key guy who only becomes a team player.
Sir Alex Ferguson played an important role in his departure from United, and Neville said: “He didn’t look like a coach. He was more like a father talking.
“It goes beyond a coach who took care of his club, anyway, because he may have held me back because I’m what I do smart, being a team player. But he learned he needed more than that.”
Neville Captain Everton, with 303 appearances before retiring. She now leads the England women’s national team, but will leave office in July 2021.
Manchester United legend Ferdinand took advantage of Nemanja Vidic’s arrival two and a half years after he settled in with Bolton.
The two formed a formidable partnership in the back, winning three consecutive titles in the Serbian’s first full seasons with the club.
Ferdinand left in 2014 for a stint with Queens Park Rangers after 455 appearances, six league titles and a Champions League at Old Trafford.
Since then, he has had the shortest boxing career in the world and now offers his perspectives on the Reds as a BT specialist.
The Frenchman did not fall like a wonderful Old Trafford, but he did fall a normal on Sir Alex’s team at the time.
In the end he was baffled before being allowed to sign for Arsenal in 2008, but controlled 361 impressive outings during a nine-year era for the club.
He retired in 2014 after working at Werder Bremen, Portland Timbers and Chennaiyin FC.
He is now an ambassador for the global network of Sports Professionals Playon, and studied for his Uefa A License training degree and a degree in sports management.
More like a central midfielder, the South African will never win that position as a striker for Roy Keane and Paul Scholes, but he controlled to forge a position in the team as a left-back.
Fortune set the world on fire at Old Trafford and had a nomadic career after his departure, briefly proving to be Bolton, Brescia, AFC Tubize and Doncaster.
However, he obviously has a good idea at United, as he is now there as a coach with the club’s under-23s.
Solskjaer will be a legend at United for his 93rd-minute triumph of the 1999 Champions League final, sealing the historic triple for Sir Alex’s men.
His prestige as a hero will never change, whether he succeeds in a dugout or not.
The Norwegian’s final years at United were injured, however, he controlled 127 goals for the club between 1996 and 2007, no more invaluable than that blow beaten in Barcelona.
And now he’s in the old Trafford technique after taking over as coach in 2018.
A lesser-known member of Class 92 Butt, like Phil Neville, will leave United after more than a decade on the first team to prove his ability to be a key man.
He submitted a move-in application in January this season, although everything secured a move to Newcastle United this summer.
However, he finished his career in England at the time, having been relegated to the Magpies in 2009. Butt raised the curtain after a stint in Hong Kong with southern China.
Butt now leads the first-team progression at United, as a Co-owner of League 2, Salford.
A true legend of the club, Keane is one of the leading figures of English football.
The combative leader approaches the finish line at this stage, but there were still fireworks to come, especially against his Arsenal counterpart, Patrick Vieira.
The Irishman nevertheless left Old Trafford under a cloud in November 2005 after a notorious MUTV perorata that never aired. Retired after a brief stint at Celtic.
Having helped Martin O’Neill as coach with Ireland and Nottingham Forest, Keane is now the highest-noted in the scoring, and most in Premier League stars on Sky Sports or ITV.
Perhaps the top player in United’s illustrious history after making 963 incredible appearances for the club between 1991 and 2014.
The Welshman has broken records that will almost break, winning thirteen Leagues, 4 English Cups, 3 League Cups, two Champions LeaguesArray … and even a sporting personality of the year.
At this point, Giggs remains an electric winger, before turning his game into that of a deep midfielder later in his career.
After serving as Louis van Gaal’s assistant at Old Trafford, Giggs now leads the Wales team.
Behind Giggs and Sir Bobby Charlton on United’s all-time list of leaders, having made 718, Scholes retired from England after Euro 2004, extending his career at Old Trafford.
His diversity of passes has become a legend as he got older, and he even came out of retirement in January 2012 to play for 18 months, earning the league name before calling it a genuine day in 2013.
He has had a brief stint in control of Oldham Athletic Children’s Club in 2019, while also co-owner of Salford. Scholes makes skillful paintings for BT Sport.
During his five years at Old Trafford, Van Nistelrooy was one of the deadliest goalscorers ever seen by English football.
A poacher on the bench of clinical penalties, the Dutchman has scored 150 goals in 219 games for Manchester United.
He scored his eyebrows when he was allowed to sign for Real Madrid in 2006, for which he scored 64 goals in 96 games, but Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney were able to shine even brighter after their departure.
He then ended with Ronaldo for a year in Madrid, before being sold to Hamburg.
The 43-year-old now trains PSV under-19s.
After the arrival of CR7 in the 61st minute, Ferguson had to twice more on his bench.
Eric Djemba-Djemba arrived six minutes later, but failed to take effect at Old Trafford, left in January 2005 and proceeded to form Aston Villa and Burnley in England before moving abroad.
He made a brief return to those shores, appearing three times with St Mirren in 2014; he recently reached Swiss fc Vallorbe-Ballaigues, fifth.ranked.
United’s other replacement that day, Diego Forlán, a “and if” guy at Old Trafford.
The skilful long-haired striker did not make the cut at United, but proved to be a great player later in his career with Villarreal, Atletico Madrid and Uruguay.
Like Butt, Forlán also finished his career in the Hong Kong Premier League, scoring five goals in eight games for Kitchee in 2018, before regardless, retiring a year later.
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