“‘Who the hell do you think you are?’” - When Cristiano Ronaldo was ‘destroyed’ by Sir Alex Ferguson after Manchester United game
Back in 2022, former Manchester United Rio Ferdinand recalled how Cristiano Ronaldo once got the hairdryer treatment from Sir Alex Ferguson. Ronaldo has often referred to the ex-United boss as a 'father figure.'
In the 2005-06 season, Ronaldo was a prodigy freshly transferred from Sporting Lisbon. Manchester United traveled to Lisbon to play in a must-win UEFA Champions League match against Benfica and it was the perfect moment for Ronaldo to make an impact at his new club.
However, Ferdinand explained how Ronaldo only tried to show off his skills with no end product. The game became a Cristiano Ronaldo skills show, and United lost the crucial clash.
In the dressing room, Sir Alex Ferguson didn't have many kind words for the Portuguese marksman as Ferdinand recalled (via SPORTbible):
"He was trying to show his skills and nothing was coming off. We lost and afterwards the manager absolutely destroyed him. ‘Playing by yourself? Who the hell do you think you are?’"
"Ferguson was brave to do that. He knew Ronaldo was the key to us winning anything. A lot of managers would have been scared of taking him on. I never saw England managers hammering David Beckham like that, or Steven Gerrard, or Frank Lampard, or Wayne Rooney," continued the Manchester United defender.
Ronaldo would eventually make the switch to Real Madrid and 2009 and Sir Alex Ferguson retired at the end of the 2012-13 season.
Cristiano Ronaldo's stellar first stint at Manchester United in numbers
Cristiano Ronaldo was brought from Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United as an 18-year-old by Sir Alex Ferguson. The Portuguese prodigy stayed at Old Trafford for six years and established himself as one of the most feared forwards of the generation.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored just six goals in 40 appearances in his first season for Manchester United. However, he went on to establish himself over time, and his statistics rose until he caught the attention of Real Madrid.
In six seasons for Manchester United, Ronaldo scored 118 goals and 61 assists in 292 appearances, with an average of 0.40 goals per match. He won 12 titles, including one Champions League and three Premier League crowns.
Regarding personal milestones, Cristiano won his first Ballon d'Or with the Red Devils in 2008.