6 August 2003 - That's How You Make A First Impression

On 6 August 2003, Manchester United lost to Sporting in a friendly that introduced them to the Portuguese side's dynamic young winger, Cristiano Ronaldo.

United were in Lisbon to help Sporting inaugurate their new home, the Estádio José Alvalade. The Red Devils had just completed a four-game tour of the United States and seemed to be suffering from tired legs as the hosts romped to a 3-1 victory with goals from Luís Felipe (26') and João Pinto (62', 81'). Even United's consolation goal came courtesy of the Portuguese, as defender Hugo put the ball into his own net with two minutes remaining.

The day wasn't a total waste for United, though. Afterward, several players spoke to manager Alex Ferguson, raving about the performance of Sporting's 18-year old midfielder, Ronaldo, and urging their boss to sign him. Although Ronaldo had already attracted the interest of Arsenal and Liverpool, United swooped in and signed him that summer for a fee of £12.24M. 

Ronaldo remained at Old Trafford for six seasons, making a total of 292 appearances in which he scored 118 goals. Along the way, he helped the club to three consecutive Premier League titles from 2007 to 2009 and won the Champions League in 2008.

In the summer of 2009, Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid for the then world-record transfer fee of £80M, a profit of almost £68M for United.

12 May 2005 - I'm Staging A Pro-Malcolm Tucker Rally

On 12 May 2005, American business Malcolm Glazer acquired a controlling interest in Manchester United. The Glazer family eventually gained complete ownership of the club, sparking a wave of protests that are continuing to this day.

Glazer, whose family also owns the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, first got involved with Manchester United in March 2003, when he and his family purchased a 2.9% share of the club for approximately £9 million. They gradually purchased additional shares, so that by October 2004, they neared the 30% threshold that would require them to launch an official takeover bid.

Meanwhile, two other shareholders--JP McManus and John Magnier, who had 28.7% between them--had fallen out with manager Alex Ferguson over issues related to the trio's joint ownership of a racehorse. The two of them had earlier tried unsuccessfully to oust Ferguson and had seen their influence in the club wane as a result. On 12 May 2005, Glazer reached agreement to purchase the shares owned by McManus and Magnier, giving the Glazer family a majority stake of almost 60%. By the end of the summer, they took complete ownership of the club.

Despite success on the pitch under the Glazers (with three league titles and one Champions League trophy between 2007 and 2009), the acquisition proved very costly, with the deal's financing costs increasing United's debt to a staggering £716.5 million by January 2010. Angered over the the club's financial state, supporters staged anti-Glazer protests that included the adoption of the club's original green and gold colors and the formation of a splinter club, FC United of Manchester. By 2016, however, the debt level dropped to £322.1 million, while revenue reached a record £133.8 million. 

11 May 1983 - The Giants Of Spain Fall In The Rain

On 11 May 1983, Aberdeen won the European Cup Winners' Cup, beating Real Madrid 2-1.

It was Aberdeen's second time in the tournament; their first, in 1971, ended with elimination by Budepest Honved in the first round. Real Madrid also participated that season, advancing to the Final where they lost to Chelsea in a replay.

Playing on a rain-soaked day before a crowd of approximately 18,000 at the Ullevi in Gothenburg, Sweden, Aberdeen fielded an all-Scottish side, including manager Alex Ferguson, then in his fifth season in charge. Definite underdogs, they took a shock lead when forward Eric Black scored in the 7th minute. But the lead was short-lived, as Real Madrid drew level with a 15th-minute penalty kick from forward Juanito.

Despite the early exchange, the teams were unable to score for the remainder of regulation, forcing the match into overtime. There, the winning goal was headed in by supersub John Hewitt, who had come on in place of Black. (Hewitt had also scored the winning goal in Aberdeen's semifinal against Bayern Munich.)

The win made Aberdeen the third Scottish team--after Celtic and Rangers--to win a European trophy. They quickly added to their silverware collection by winning the European Super Cup later that year.

27 August 2001 - Ferguson's Greatest Mistake

On 27 August 2001, Dutch center back Jakob "Jaap" Stam completed his transfer from Manchester United to Lazio for a United-record £16.5 million. The move was a shock to everyone, including Stam.

Stam had arrived at Old Trafford in 1998 when United bought him from PSV Eindhoven for £10.6 million, making him history's most expensive Dutch footballer to that point. In his three seasons at United, the club won three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League. Individually, England's Professional Footballers' Association voted Stam to their Team of the Year for all three seasons.

In the summer of 2001, however, excerpts began appearing in the press from Stam's upcoming autobiography, Head to Head, including criticisms of his United teammates and claims that United manager Alex Ferguson ordered his players to dive in European matches. He also suggested that Ferguson violated FIFA rules in purchasing him from PSV. Within two weeks after those stories broke, Stam found himself in Lazio.

Ferguson claimed that Lazio's offer of £16.5 million - which more than doubled the previous record fee of £7 million received by United from Inter for midfielder Paul Ince in 1995 - was simply too good to refuse. In 2009, Ferguson admitted that Stam's transfer was one of his greatest mistakes, noting that the defender continued to play a top level for several years afterward.

Stam eventually retired in 2007 after seasons at Lazio, Milan, and Ajax.

8 April 1996 - Busst's Bad Break

On 8 April 1996, Coventry City defender David Busst suffered one of the most horrific injuries in football history during a Premier League match against Manchester United.

Just under two minutes into the match at Old Trafford, Coventry won a corner kick and Busst (pronounced "Boost") rushed forward into United's penalty area. As the kick came in, United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel knocked the ball toward Busst, who slipped in between two United players to get a toe on it. Then, as Busst tells it, "that's when the screaming started." He fell to the ground with his right leg bent at an unnatural right angle - his tibia and fibula both had snapped in two after colliding with United's Brian McClair and Denis Irwin.

The match was delayed for 15 minutes while the ground staff cleaned blood off the pitch. Reportedly, Schmeichel was so disturbed by the sight of the injury that he vomited. He also later sought counseling to deal with the memory. Soon after the match, he visited Busst in the hospital, as did United's Alex Ferguson, Steve Bruce, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, and Eric Cantona, as well as Busst's Coventry City teammates.

Busst underwent a total of 22 operations to repair the damage, but while the doctors saved his leg, he never played professional football again.

6 November 1986 - They Call Him "Sir"

On 6 November 1986, Manchester United appointed Alex Ferguson as their new manager, replacing the recently-sacked Ron Atkinson.

The Glasgow-born Ferguson began his career in football as a striker for his hometown club Queen's Park FC in 1957. Before he switched to management in 1974, he played for a number of Scottish teams, including Dunfermline Athletic (1964-67) and Falkirk (1969-73).

He began his management career with East Stirlingshire (1974) and St. Mirren (1974-78), but made his name with Aberdeen. He was in charge of the Dons from 1978 to 1986, leading them to three league titles (1980, 1984, 1985), four Scottish Cups (1982, 1983, 1984, 1986), and one Scottish League Cup (1986). He also enjoyed European success, winning the UEFA Cup-Winners' Cup (1983) and the UEFA Super Cup (1983).

Ferguson got off to an inconsistent start at United, finishing in 11th position his first season, then second place the next, and back to 11th in his third season. Midway through his fourth season, his job appeared to be in jeopardy following a poor start to the season that saw United limp into the new year in 15th place after taking two points from a string of eight matches between 25 November and 1 January. United stuck with him, however, and he led them to the FA Cup trophy that season.

Ferguson went on to a string of successes at Old Trafford, including 13 League titles, four more FA Cups, four League Cups, and two UEFA Champions League titles before retiring in 2013.

He also has received a number of individual accolades, including eleven Premier League Manager of the Year awards. In 1999, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to football.

13 August 2003 - You Win Some, You Lose Some

On 13 August 2003, Manchester United introduced its new signings, Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazilian midfielder Kléberson.

United acquired Ronaldo from Sporting C.P., whom he had joined on a youth contract in 1997 at the age of 12. He joined Sporting's senior team in 2001 at the age of 16 and made 31 appearances for them, scoring five goals.

United manager Alex Ferguson said that he had been tracking Ronaldo for at least nine months, but had been particularly impressed with Ronaldo's play in Sporting's 3-1 defeat of United in a friendly held in Lisbon the week before his signing. The winger had also drawn the attention of Real Madrid, Juventus, and Chelsea, sparking a bidding war that drove the transfer fee up to £12.24 million, making Ronaldo the most expensive teenage signing in Britain to that point.

As if the record signing fee didn't create enough pressure on Ronaldo, Ferguson added to it by giving him United's famous No. 7 shirt, previously worn by United legends such as George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona, and - most recently - David Beckham. Ronaldo rose to the challenge, however, and helped lead United to three consecutive Premier League titles (2007, 2008, 2009), one FA Cup trophy (2004), and one UEFA Champions League trophy (2008). He also claimed a number of individual honors, including the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2008.

In July 2009, Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid for a transfer fee of £80 million.

Kleberson, who was signed from Brazilian side Atlético Paranaense for £6.5 million, was less successful, making only 30 appearances for United before transferring to Turkish side Beşiktaş for £2.5 million.

17 June 2003 - Beckham's Odyssey Begins

On 17 June 2003, Manchester United sold their star midfielder David Beckham to Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Beckham signed with Manchester United in 1991 at the age of 14 and helped secure a number of honors for the Old Trafford club, including six Premier League titles, two FA Cup trophies, and one UEFA Champions League trophy. He also earned numerous individual awards, including the PFA Young Player of the Year (1996-97), the UEFA Club Player of the Year (1999), and the BBC Sports Personality of the Year (2001). In all, Beckham made 394 appearances for the Red Devils in all competitions, scoring 85 goals.

By the year 2000, despite his success on the pitch, his relationship with manager Sir Alex Ferguson began to deteriorate, due in part to Beckham's off-pitch commitments and growing celebrity following his marriage to Victoria "Posh Spice" Adams in 1999. The relationship between player and manager hit bottom on 15 February 2003 when, after an FA Cup loss to Arsenal, Ferguson kicked a boot that hit Beckham above the eye, requiring stitches.

At the end of that season, with the relationship beyond salvage, Manchester United sold Beckham to Real Madrid for €35 million (£25M) on 17 June. The transfer was completed on 1 July 2003, making Beckham only the third Englishman to play for the Spanish side.

After spending twelve years with United, the move triggered a peripatetic period in Beckham's career. He spent only four seasons with Real, helping them to the La Liga title in 2006-07. In the summer of 2007, he moved to the United States, joining MLS side L.A. Galaxy. He remained there until 2012, including two loan spells with AC Milan, then finished his career at Paris St. Germain. 

5 February 2002 - Fergie Time Takes Effect

On 5 February 2002, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson announced that he had changed his mind about retiring at the end of the season and ended up staying with the club for another eleven years.

When he took charge of the club in November 1986, they were sitting twenty-first out of twenty-two teams in the top flight and had gone without a league title since 1967 (though they won the FA Cup in 1985). Ferguson quickly turned their fortunes around, winning the league seven times between 1993 and 2001, as well as four FA Cups and the 1999 Champions League trophy (part of a treble that year).

In May 2001, at the age of 59, he announced his intent to retire. The decision came after disagreements with United's board of directors over his compensation, but he also cited concerns about his health. Subsequent negotiations with the board postponed his departure until the end of the 2001-02 season.

But by the end of December 2001, he had changed his mind. He opened new contract discussions with the board while keeping his change of heart a secret from the team and the public. Then, in February 2002, he informed United's players that he was staying.

He remained with the club until the end of the 2012-13 season, collecting another six league titles, another FA Cup, and another Champions League trophy.

8 July 1991 - A Pretty Good Bit Of Business, That

On 8 July 1991, sixteen-year old David Beckham signed his first contract with Manchester United, joining the U-18s as one of "Fergie's Fledglings."

He had been associated with the club for over two years, having signed schoolboy forms with them on his fourteenth birthday, but the 1991 contract formalized his position at the club under the Youth Training Scheme, intended as a type of apprenticeship program to provide post-educational opportunities for 16- and 17-year olds.

Although he remained with the U-18s that first season, he nonetheless got his first piece of silverware, helping the club win the 1992 FA Youth Cup. His teammates on the winning team included Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville. That group formed the core of manager Alex Ferguson's second attempt to invigorate the club with youth players brought up through the ranks, nicknamed by the press as "Fergie's Fledglings" in comparison to the "Busby Babes" of former manager Matt Busby.

Beckham cracked into the first squad for the 1992-93 season, but made only one appearance over the next two years, then went on loan to Preston North End. He returned in 1995 and became a regular starter, making a total of 394 appearances before moving to Real Madrid in 2003 for a transfer fee of £25M which was, at the time, the club's record received fee. Before his departure, he won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and one Champions League trophy.

6 August 2003 - That's How You Make A First Impression

On 6 August 2003, Manchester United lost to Sporting in a friendly that introduced them to the Portuguese side's dynamic young winger, Cristiano Ronaldo.

United were in Lisbon to help Sporting inaugurate their new home, the Estádio José Alvalade. The Red Devils had just completed a four-game tour of the United States and seemed to be suffering from tired legs as the hosts romped to a 3-1 victory with goals from Luís Felipe (26') and João Pinto (62', 81'). Even United's consolation goal came courtesy of the Portuguese, as defender Hugo put the ball into his own net with two minutes remaining.

The day wasn't a total waste for United, though. Afterward, several players spoke to manager Alex Ferguson, raving about the performance of Sporting's 18-year old midfielder, Ronaldo, and urging their boss to sign him. Although Ronaldo had already attracted the interest of Arsenal and Liverpool, United swooped in and signed him that summer for a fee of £12.24M.

Ronaldo remained at Old Trafford for six seasons, making a total of 292 appearances in which he scored 118 goals. Along the way, he helped the club to three consecutive Premier League titles from 2007 to 2009 and won the Champions League in 2008.

In the summer of 2009, Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid for the world-record transfer fee of £80M, a profit of almost £68M for United.

24 July 1958 - Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Leighton, He's A Keeper

On 24 July 1958, goalkeeper Jim Leighton was born in Johnstone, Scotland. He had a lengthy career that saw him become the oldest person to play for the national team and reach second on Scotland's all-time appearances list.

He started his career with non-league Dalry Thistle, then joined Aberdeen in July 1978, signed by their new manager, Alex Ferguson. He made 438 appearances, winning three league titles, four Scottish Cups, and the European Cup-Winners' Cup, before leaving with Ferguson in 1988 for Manchester United.

After two seasons at United, he fell out of favor with Ferguson and spent a year on loan at Arsenal, then later played for Reading, Dundee, Sheffield United, and Hibernian before returning to Aberdeen in 1997. He played there until his retirement in 2000, becoming the oldest player to appear in the Scottish Premier League at the age of 41 years, 302 days (St. Mirren's Andy Millen broke that record in 2007).

Leighton received his first call-up to the national team in 1982 and manned the posts for Scotland at the 1986, 1990, and 1998 World Cups (the Scots failed to qualify for the 1994 tournament). His final appearance for Scotland set the age record at 40 years, 2 months, and 6 days (though that was later broken in 2010 by David Weir). His 91 caps are the second-most of any Scottish player, just behind Kenny Dalglish (102).

12 May 1990 - One Touch Was All It Took

On 12 May 1990, Aberdeen outlasted Celtic in a dramatic penalty shootout to claim their fifth Scottish Cup in nine years.

After winning their first two Scottish Cups in 1947 and 1970, Aberdeen dominated the tournament in the 1980s under manager Alex Ferguson, winning it in 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1986 (along with three league titles under Ferguson in 1980, 1984, and 1985). For the 1990 Final, however, the Dons were led by Alex Smith, appointed in 1988.

They faced a familiar opponent, having played Celtic five times already that season. They met four times in the league, resulting in one win each and two draws, and also played against each other in the Scottish League Cup semifinal (which Aberdeen won to reach the final against Rangers, which they also won).

In the Scottish Cup Final, played before a crowd of 60,493 at Hampden Park, the two teams finished extra time in a scoreless draw to force the match into penalties. In the shootout, they couldn't stop scoring, so the tally rose to 8-8 before Aberdeen keeper Theo Snelders dove to his left to block the attempt from Celtic defender Anton Rogan. Defender Brian Irvine then stepped up and drove the decisive shot home to give the cup to Aberdeen, 0-0 (9-8).

12 May 2005 - I'm Staging A Pro-Malcolm Tucker Rally

On 12 May 2005, American business Malcolm Glazer acquired a controlling interest in Manchester United. The Glazer family eventually gained complete ownership of the club, sparking a wave of protests that are continuing to this day.

Glazer, whose family also owns the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, first got involved with Manchester United in March 2003, when he and his family purchased a 2.9% share of the club for approximately £9 million. They gradually purchased additional shares, so that by October 2004, they neared the 30% threshold that would require them to launch an official takeover bid.

Meanwhile, two other shareholders--JP McManus and John Magnier, who had 28.7% between them--had fallen out with manager Alex Ferguson over issues related to the trio's joint ownership of a racehorse. The two of them had earlier tried unsuccessfully to oust Ferguson and had seen their influence in the club wane as a result. On 12 May 2005, Glazer reached agreement to purchase the shares owned by McManus and Magnier, giving the Glazer family a majority stake of almost 60%. By the end of the summer, they took complete ownership of the club.

Despite success on the pitch under the Glazers (with three league titles and one Champions League trophy between 2007 and 2009), the acquisition proved very costly, with the deal's financing costs increasing United's debt to a staggering £716.5 million by January 2010. Angered over the the club's financial state, supporters staged anti-Glazer protests that included the adoption of the club's original green and gold colors and the formation of a splinter club, FC United of Manchester.

To date, however, the Glazers have refused any pressure to sell the club. With United poised to claim yet another league title this month and preparing to meet Barcelona in the Champions League Final at Wembley, it looks unlikely that there will be any change in ownership in the near future.

11 May 1983 - The Giants Of Spain Fall In The Rain

On 11 May 1983, Aberdeen won the European Cup Winners' Cup, beating Real Madrid 2-1.

It was Aberdeen's second time in the tournament; their first, in 1971, ended with elimination by Budepest Honved in the first round. Real Madrid also participated that season, advancing to the Final where they lost to Chelsea in a replay.

Playing on a rain-soaked day before a crowd of approximately 18,000 at the Ullevi in Gothenburg, Sweden, Aberdeen fielded an all-Scottish side, including manager Alex Ferguson, then in his fifth season in charge. Definite underdogs, they took a shock lead when forward Eric Black scored in the 7th minute. But the lead was short-lived, as Real Madrid drew level with a 15th-minute penalty kick from forward Juanito.

Despite the early exchange, the teams were unable to score for the remainder of regulation, forcing the match into overtime. There, the winning goal was headed in by supersub John Hewitt, who had come on in place of Black. (Hewitt had also scored the winning goal in Aberdeen's semifinal against Bayern Munich.)

The win made Aberdeen the third Scottish team--after Celtic and Rangers--to win a European trophy. They quickly added to their silverware collection by winning the European Super Cup later that year.

27 August 2001 - Ferguson's Greatest Mistake

On 27 August 2001, Dutch center back Jakob "Jaap" Stam completed his transfer from Manchester United to Lazio for a United-record £16.5 million. The move was a shock to everyone, including Stam.

Stam had arrived at Old Trafford in 1998 when United bought him from PSV Eindhoven for £10.6 million, making him history's most expensive Dutch footballer to that point. In his three seasons at United, the club won three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League. Individually, England's Professional Footballers' Association voted Stam to their Team of the Year for all three seasons.

In the summer of 2001, however, excerpts began appearing in the press from Stam's upcoming autobiography, Head to Head, including criticisms of his United teammates and claims that United manager Alex Ferguson ordered his players to dive in European matches. He also suggested that Ferguson violated FIFA rules in purchasing him from PSV. Within two weeks after those stories broke, Stam found himself in Lazio.

Ferguson claimed that Lazio's offer of £16.5 million - which more than doubled the previous record fee of £7 million received by United from Inter for midfielder Paul Ince in 1995 - was simply too good to refuse. In 2009, Ferguson admitted that Stam's transfer was one of his greatest mistakes, noting that the defender continued to play a top level for several years afterward.

Stam eventually retired in 2007 after seasons at Lazio, Milan, and Ajax.

8 April 1996 - Busst's Bad Break

On 8 April 1996, Coventry City defender David Busst suffered one of the most horrific injuries in football history during a Premier League match against Manchester United.

Just under two minutes into the match at Old Trafford, Coventry won a corner kick and Busst (pronounced "Boost") rushed forward into United's penalty area. As the kick came in, United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel knocked the ball toward Busst, who slipped in between two United players to get a toe on it. Then, as Busst tells it, "that's when the screaming started." He fell to the ground with his right leg bent at an unnatural right angle - his tibia and fibula both had snapped in two after colliding with United's Brian McClair and Denis Irwin.

The match was delayed for 15 minutes while the ground staff cleaned blood off the pitch. Reportedly, Schmeichel was so disturbed by the sight of the injury that he vomited. He also later sought counseling to deal with the memory. Soon after the match, he visited Busst in the hospital, as did United's Alex Ferguson, Steve Bruce, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, and Eric Cantona, as well as Busst's Coventry City teammates.

Busst underwent a total of 22 operations to repair the damage, but while the doctors saved his leg, he never played professional football again. He remains involved with the game, however, and currently serves as director of Coventry City's Football in the Community program.

6 November 1986 - They Call Him "Sir"

On 6 November 1986, Manchester United appointed Alex Ferguson as their new manager, replacing the recently-sacked Ron Atkinson.

The Glasgow-born Ferguson began his career in football as a striker for his hometown club Queen's Park FC in 1957. Before he switched to management in 1974, he played for a number of Scottish teams, including Dunfermline Athletic (1964-67) and Falkirk (1969-73).

He began his management career with East Stirlingshire (1974) and St. Mirren (1974-78), but made his name with Aberdeen. He was in charge of the Dons from 1978 to 1986, leading them to three league titles (1980, 1984, 1985), four Scottish Cups (1982, 1983, 1984, 1986), and one Scottish League Cup (1986). He also enjoyed European success, winning the UEFA Cup-Winners' Cup (1983) and the UEFA Super Cup (1983).

Ferguson got off to an inconsistent start at United, finishing in 11th position his first season, then second place the next, and back to 11th in his third season. Midway through his fourth season, his job appeared to be in jeopardy following a poor start to the season that saw United limp into the new year in 15th place after taking two points from a string of eight matches between 25 November and 1 January. United stuck with him, however, and he led them to the FA Cup trophy that season.

Ferguson went on to a string of successes at Old Trafford, including 11 League titles, four more FA Cups, three League Cups, and two UEFA Champions League titles.

He also has received a number of individual accolades, including nine Premier League Manager of the Year awards. In 1999, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to football.

13 August 2003 - You Win Some, You Lose Some

On 13 August 2003, Manchester United introduced its new signings, Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazilian midfielder Kléberson.

United acquired Ronaldo from Sporting C.P., whom he had joined on a youth contract in 1997 at the age of 12. He joined Sporting's senior team in 2001 at the age of 16 and made 31 appearances for them, scoring five goals.

United manager Alex Ferguson said that he had been tracking Ronaldo for at least nine months, but had been particularly impressed with Ronaldo's play in Sporting's 3-1 defeat of United in a friendly held in Lisbon the week before his signing. The winger had also drawn the attention of Real Madrid, Juventus, and Chelsea, sparking a bidding war that drove the transfer fee up to £12.24 million, making Ronaldo the most expensive teenage signing in Britain to that point.

As if the record signing fee didn't create enough pressure on Ronaldo, Ferguson added to it by giving him United's famous No. 7 shirt, previously worn by United legends such as George Best, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona, and - most recently - David Beckham. Ronaldo rose to the challenge, however, and helped lead United to three consecutive Premier League titles (2007, 2008, 2009), one FA Cup trophy (2004), and one UEFA Champions League trophy (2008). He also claimed a number of individual honors, including the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2008.

In July 2009, Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid for a transfer fee of £80 million.

Kleberson, who was signed from Brazilian side Atlético Paranaense for £6.5 million, was less successful, making only 30 appearances for United before transferring to Turkish side Beşiktaş for £2.5 million.

17 June 2003 - Beckham's Odyssey Begins

On 17 June 2003, Manchester United sold their long-serving midfielder David Beckham to Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Beckham signed with Manchester United in 1991 at the age of 14 and helped secure a number of honors for the Old Trafford club, including six Premier League titles, two FA Cup trophies, and one UEFA Champions League trophy. He also earned numerous individual awards, including the PFA Young Player of the Year (1996-97), the UEFA Club Player of the Year (1999), and the BBC Sports Personality of the Year (2001). In all, Beckham made 394 appearances for the Red Devils in all competitions, scoring 85 goals.

By the year 2000, despite his success on the pitch, his relationship with manager Sir Alex Ferguson began to deteriorate, due in part to Beckham's off-pitch commitments and growing celebrity following his marriage to Victoria "Posh Spice" Adams in 1999. The relationship between player and manager hit bottom on 15 February 2003 when, after an FA Cup loss to Arsenal, Ferguson kicked a boot that hit Beckham above the eye, requiring stitches.

At the end of that season, with the relationship beyond salvage, Manchester United sold Beckham to Real Madrid for €35 million (£25M) on 17 June. The transfer was completed on 1 July 2003, making Beckham only the third Englishman to play for the Spanish side.

After spending twelve years with United, the move triggered a peripatetic period in Beckham's career. He spent only four seasons with Real, helping them to the La Liga title in 2006-07. In the summer of 2007, he moved to the United States, joining MLS side L.A. Galaxy. After one and half seasons in L.A., however, he again moved, this time to AC Milan on loan. He is presently scheduled to return to the Galaxy in mid-June for the remainder of the MLS season.