While some fans instantly think of a white Real Madrid jersey when Cristiano Ronaldo is name-dropped, another set of fans harken back to his days under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United that saw him break out as one of the best young players in the world,
The 2007/08 season was the penultimate season of Ronaldo’s spell at the Old Trafford, and the campaign saw him finish not only as the top scorer in the Premier League, but also win the League with Manchester United. Moreover, they also managed to get to the top of the European mountain, winning the Champions League in historic fashion against Chelsea on penalties.
Across all competitions, Ronaldo managed to score 42 goals and provide 8 assists across 49 appearances for Manchester United and was awarded the Balloon d’Or for his outstanding performances throughout the season.
These figures set him apart from the rest of the continent, as his 42 goals in the season were enough to win the European Golden Boot as well. Moreover, he was the top scorer in the Champions League that season as well.
His brilliance earned him an immense number of individual honours, with the PFA, FIFPRO, FWA, World Soccer and Manchester United player of the season awards, as well as inclusions in the UEFA and PFA XI of the year.
Ronaldo primarily operates on the right hand side of an attacking trident, and produced an amazing output under Sir Alex.
The 2007/08 season was essential in establishing a 21-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the greatest in the history of the sport, and was also instrumental in getting the player a €94 million move to Real Madrid.
The rest, as they say, is history as the young Portuguese went on to become the highest scorer in the history of the most prestigious club in the world.
