Arnaldo pronunciation

Along with Lionel Messi , he is regularly considered to be one of the top two players in the world. He has become an iconic figure in the sport, with an impressive record of 1, professional appearances and over goals. From an early age, he loved playing football. His talent, enthusiasm and love for the game soon became apparent.

By the age of ten, his talent was becoming well known in Portugal and he was signed for Nacional, a Portuguese side from Madeira.

Arnaldo meaning

He later signed for Sporting Lisbon — one of the biggest clubs in Portugal. His first international exposure came when representing Portugal under 17s at the UEFA championships. His performance caused him to be marked by leading European football managers. In , he played against Manchester United when Sporting beat them in a friendly.

Despite initially asking for the number 28 shirt, Ferguson insisted that he wear the famous number 7 shirt. At Manchester United, his career steadily progressed. Ronaldo scored over 20 goals, as he won his first championship. He also won PFA player of the year award. The season was even better, with Cristiano Ronaldo being named the player of the tournament, as Manchester United won the coveted Champions League trophy.

The most prestigious club competition in the world. Sir Alex Ferguson said of Ronaldo:. However, despite the success, Ronaldo expressed a desire to leave the club, and move to Real Madrid.