Bursting onto the scene as an 18-year-old, Cristiano Ronaldo wasn’t destined for greatness from the offset. Speaking to Bleacher Report, former Sporting B coach Luis Alegria said that not everyone expected Cristiano Ronaldo to become the player he is today.
The tale of Cristiano Ronaldo and Ricardo Quaresma
At the time, compatriot Ricardo Quaresma was ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in the pecking order and was expected to have a brighter future in the game. However, as fate to have it, their career followed different trajectories since the summer of 2003.
Despite showing glimpses of his outrageous potential, Cristiano Ronaldo largely remained with the youth team in the 2001-02 season. In stark contrast, Quaresma featured 28 times for the senior side and looked closer to becoming a finished product.
In the following season, Cristiano Ronaldo was involved in a series of games that would go on to shape his career. His performance in a 1-1 draw against Lyon in pre-season saw him receive plaudits in Portugal, with local newspaper Record claiming that a star was born that day.
“Pay attention to this boy. He knows how to lose his opponent; he can dribble and has a nose for goal.” - Portuguese newspaper Record, 2002
A Paris Saint-Germain with Mauricio Pochettino and Gabriel Heinze was his next test, as the 18-year-old once again produced a stunning showing. After his lively performance in a 2-2 draw, local broadcasters described as Sporting’s newest sensation. However, Ronaldo insisted that he was just getting started.
After Quaresma sealed a move to Barcelona, Cristiano Ronaldo was expected to replace the winger in the side. However, a pre-season friendly against Manchester United meant that Sir Alex Ferguson got a deal done for him immediately.
Luis Lourenco, a former teammate of Ronaldo at Sporting, claimed that the Manchester United game virtually sealed his departure from the club.
At the age of 18, Cristiano Ronaldo was dubbed as a phenomenon by the Portuguese press and was also hailed as the biggest talent in world football. Seventeen years later, he is Portugal’s record goalscorer, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner and one of the greatest footballers to have graced the game.
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