Cristiano Ronaldo developed into the global superstar we know today at Manchester United. Sir Alex Ferguson took a chance on the Portuguese winger when he was 18 due to the impression he made in a friendly match against the English club when he was on the books of Sporting Lisbon.
The move worked out for all parties as Manchester United acquired a player who would go on to win five Ballon d’Or awards. Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the deadliest finishers in the sport, scoring over 850 professional goals to his name. However, former teammate Rio Ferdinand believes that there was a specific striker at Manchester United who was an even better finisher than Cristiano Ronaldo
Ferdinand rates Nistelrooy over Cristiano Ronaldo
Rio Ferdinand, who recently hosted Kevin-Prince Boateng on his FIVE show, played with both Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Cristiano Ronaldo in his 12 years at Manchester United, and he believes Van Nistelrooy was a better finisher than the Portuguese star.
In a recent interview with Manutd.com, United’s official website, Ferdinand was quizzed on the best finisher he played with at Manchester United. His answer wasn’t far-fetched as he opted for Ruud Van Nistelrooy, one of the most clinical finishers of his generation. “Ruud for me. I think all the other strikers would agree with that as well,” Rio said.
“Ole is up there, he was a thinking finisher. His finishes were always calm, and he was great at instinctive things, but I have to go with Ruud. He was clinical and the most ruthless finisher I’ve ever played with,” he concluded.
Van Nistelrooy was a great player for United under Sir Alex Ferguson. He scored 150 goals in his 219 appearances for Manchester United, five more than Cristiano Ronaldo did in his two spells for the club. Sadly, just like Ronaldo, Van Nistelrooy also left United for Real Madrid, where he scored 64 goals in 96 competitive appearances, winning two La Liga titles and one Super Cup.
How many goals did Ronaldo score for Manchester United?
Cristiano Ronaldo had two spells with Manchester United, although the last one was less ceremonious as he had his contract terminated by the club for talking ill of his manager publicly. In his two spells, Ronaldo played 346 games for the club and scored 145 times. As a winger, his contribution to the club, especially in his first spell, was beyond goals and assists.
Ronaldo developed his game at United and even won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008 for the role he played in United’s success that season, helping the club lift the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.
Ronaldo now plies his trade in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr, as he now eyes a new contract that could keep him at the club till 2027, a year after the 2026 World Cup in North America.
Who do you think is the best finisher Manchester United have ever had?
