How Fergie ‘Refused to Let Ronaldo Leave Stadium Until He Signed for Man Utd’

Cristiano Ronaldo wasn’t allowed to leave the stadium after a match until he had committed to joining Manchester United, according to Rio Ferdinand.

During their six years as teammates, Ronaldo and Ferdinand won three Premier League titles and the Champions League together.

United secured the Portuguese star’s signature from Sporting Lisbon for £12 million—just a year after Ferdinand himself moved to Old Trafford from Leeds.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side played a pre-season friendly against Sporting, where Ronaldo put on a dazzling display, famously tormenting John O’Shea to the point where, as legend has it, he was left “needing an oxygen tank.” His performance left such an impression on United’s management that Ferguson made sure the talented youngster didn’t slip through their fingers.

Ferdinand recalled the moment in an interview with the BBC, explaining that the squad had traveled to Portugal for the match at Sporting’s new stadium. At the time, United had just missed out on signing Ronaldinho, which had left the players disappointed. However, whispers about a teenage sensation at Sporting started circulating before kickoff.

As soon as the game began, it became clear that Ronaldo was something special. His footwork, confidence, and ability to embarrass defenders had the United players exchanging stunned glances. By the final whistle, they were all convinced: he had to join them.

Ferdinand described how, after the match, the squad was left waiting on the team bus for over an hour, unsure of the delay. Soon, word spread that CEO David Gill and Sir Alex Ferguson were inside, making sure Ronaldo didn’t leave the stadium without agreeing to a move. They effectively had him locked in, determined not to let any other club swoop in.

That fateful night marked the beginning of Ronaldo’s incredible journey with Manchester United. The Portuguese forward, who celebrates his 40th birthday today, went on to make 346 appearances across two spells with the club, scoring 145 goals and cementing his status as one of football’s greatest ever players.