24 March 2012 - Ronaldo Rolls To 100

On 24 March 2012, Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 100th La Liga goal, hitting that milestone faster than any other player in club history.

Ronaldo was in his third La Liga season, having joined Real Madrid from Manchester United in a July 2009 deal worth £80 million. He scored 26 league goals that first season, then 40 in the next. Despite that prolific output, however, Real Madrid finished as runners-up to Barcelona both seasons.

He got off to another productive start in 2011-12, with 33 goals in Madrid's first twenty-eight league games to bring his overall tally to 99 while the club secured their spot at the top of the table.

For their next match, Madrid hosted Real Sociedad at the Bernabéu and took the lead with a sixth-minute goal from striker Gonzalo Higuaín. Then in the 32nd minute, Ronaldo received the ball on the left and raced past the defense, squared up against the keeper, and sent a right-footed shot just inside the far post.

It his 100th La Liga goal in just his 92nd game, beating the previous club record of Ferenc Puskás, who needed 105 games to get to that mark. But it fell just short of the overall record, set by Real Oviedo's Isidro Lángara, who did it in 90 games.

Ronaldo went on to score a second as Madrid won 5-1, then proceeded to take the league title.

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3 November 2010 - Inzaghi Becomes King Of Europe

On 3 November 2010, Milan striker Filippo "Pippo" Inzaghi scored his 70th goal in European competition to share the honors as UEFA's top scorer. Briefly.

The goal came in a Champions League group stage match against Real Madrid, who had beaten Milan 2-0 in Spain the previous month. Playing before a crowd of 76,357 in the return leg at the San Siro, Real Madrid took the lead with a 45th-minute score from Gonzalo Higuaín. But in the second half, Inzaghi struck twice to put Milan ahead.

His first goal of the day was a 68th-minute header that took advantage of a rare mistake from Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas. He struck again ten minutes later to notch his 70th goal in UEFA competitions, matching the record set by former Real Madrid forward Raúl González, who had moved to Schalke earlier that year.

Unfortunately for Milan, the lead did not last, as Madrid winger Pedro León scored an equalizer in the fourth minute of stoppage time to earn a 2-2 draw. Inzaghi's share of the record did not last long either, as Raúl scored three months later in Schalke's 1-0 win over Valencia in the Round of 16 to push his total to 71. Since then, that number has been passed  by both Cristiano Ronaldo (113) and Lionel Messi (100), pushing Inzaghi down to fourth.

17 August 2011 - Barça Gets Off To A Super Start

On 17 August 2011, Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-2 to take their 10th Supercopa de España (and the first one over their Clásico rivals).

The competition, which kicks off the Spanish season, pits the reigning La Liga champions against the Copa del Rey holders in a two-legged series, home and away. Real Madrid and Barcelona had met there four teams previously, in 1988, 1990, 1993, and 1997, with Real Madrid claiming the honors each time. But Barça had the recent edge, carrying a six-match unbeaten streak against Madrid in the league (with five wins), as well as eliminating them in the previous season's Champions League. (Madrid, however, had beaten Barcelona in the 2011 Copa del Rey Final).

The two teams met at the Bernabéu on 14 August for the first leg, where they drew 2-2, then reconvened at Camp Nou three days later. There, Andres Iniésta opened the scoring in the 15th minute after an incisive through pass by Lionel Messi left him one-on-one with keeper Iker Casillas, who fell victim to a chip. Cristiano Ronaldo equalized from short range five minutes later, but Messi restored the lead just before the break.

Real Madrid drew level again in the second half through an 82nd-minute goal from striker Karim Benzema, but Messi had the last word with the match-winner in the 88th minute.

That season, Real Madrid went on to win the league, while Barcelona won the Copa del Rey, setting up another Supercopa meeting in 2012.

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.

7 May 2011 - A Tip Of The Hat For Ronaldo

On 7 May 2011, Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo scored one of the fastest hat-tricks in club history as they beat Sevilla 2-6.

The match came on the heels of Madrid's loss to Zaragoza, which kept them eight points behind league leaders Barcelona with four matches remaining, so they had something to prove. Sevilla were no pushovers, sitting in the table's sixth spot, but they were no match for Madrid on the day.

Playing at Sevilla's Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium, the visitors were already up 0-3 at the break with goals from Sergio Ramos (21'), Ronaldo (31'), and Kaká (42'). Sevilla striker Álvaro Negredo scored first in the second half (61'), but then Ronaldo delivered his record-breaking performance.

In the 65th minute, he intercepted a pass at the top of the Sevilla box, beat one defender, then fired the ball past the keeper from close range. Five minutes later, he beat the keeper again from inside the box after a pass beat Sevilla's offside trap. In the 75th minute, he latched on to a long cross and volleyed the ball home from just  a few feet away. In all, the three goals encompassed a span of just over 10 minutes, two minutes shy of the club record of 8 minutes, set by Pepillo in April 1960 against Real Sociedad.

The flurry extended Madrid's lead to 1-6, though Negredo scored once more to end the day at 2-6. In an unusual coincidence, Madrid duplicated the scoreline in their next visit to the  Sánchez Pizjuán in December 2012 with three more goals from Ronaldo.

Ronaldo subsequently matched Pepillo's record with an 8-minute hat-trick against Granada in April 2015.

20 April 2011 - Maybe This Is Why They Don't Win It More Often

On 20 April 2011, Real Madrid won the Copa del Rey for the first time in eighteen years, then proceeded to destroy it by dropping it in the path of their parade bus.  

Before then, Madrid's last tournament title came in 1993, when they beat Real Zaragoza and they last appeared in a final in 2004 (when they lost to Zaragoza).

They faced El Clásico rivals Barcelona in the 2011 final, having gone winless against them in the league, with a 1-1 home draw and a crushing 5-0 away loss. The two teams were also scheduled to meet one week later in the Champions League semifinals. Playing before a crowd of 55,000 at Valencia's Estadio Mestalla, the final remained scoreless through the first 90 minutes, due largely to the stellar play of of the two goalkeepers, Madrid's Iker Casillas and Barca's José Pinto. But in the first period of extra time, Madrid forward Ángel di María sent in a cross for his teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo, to head home in the 105th minute for the day's only goal.

Unfortunately for Real Madrid, they did not get long to savor the cup. As the team rode an open-topped bus into Madrid to celebrate the win, with the parade extending into the early hours of the next morning, center back Sergio Ramos dropped the trophy over the front end of the bus. It landed directly in front of the moving bus, which proceeded to run over the cup.

The trophy--the eleventh one in Copa del Rey history--shattered into several pieces, but Madrid soon received a replacement to display at their stadium.

3 March 2011 - Pellegrini's Unwelcome Return

On 3 March 2011, Real Madrid welcomed their former manager back to the Bernabeu by crushing his new team 7-0.

The manager in question was Manuel Pellegrini, who had taken charge of Real Madrid in June 2009 for their second Galacticos period that saw them acquire Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, and Karim Benzema for an approximate total of £200M in transfer fees. But after only one season--in which they finished as league runners-up to Barcelona--the club sacked Pellegrini in order to hire José Mourinho.

In November 2010, Pellegrini signed a three-year deal to manage Málaga. They had already lost to Real Madrid in the league the previous month, so the game in March was his first time facing his former employers.

It was a rout. Two of Pellegrini's signings scored a total of five goals (three from Ronaldo and two from Benzema), while Ángel di María and and Marcelo added goals of their own to stretch the margin to 7-0. When the final whistle blew, Málaga were down to nine men, with one ejected and one injured after Pellegrini had made all three substitutions.

Although the loss sent them down to 19th place, things did get better for the club. They finished the season in eleventh, followed by a fourth-place finish the following season.

20 August 2003 - Ronaldo Goes International

On 20 August 2003, winger Cristiano Ronaldo made his first appearance for Portugal in a 1-0 victory over Kazakhstan. 

Only 18 years old, he was clearly a star in the making for the national team, having already played 25 times for Portugal's youth teams and scoring 11 goals. And, just ten days before his senior international debut, he completed a high-profile move from Sporting to Manchester United. 

The match itself was an inauspicious friendly, with the only goal coming from Portuguese midfielder Simão Sabrosa in the 65th minute. It was a lucky bounce, as Kazakhstan defender Ihor Soloshenko's attempted clearance hit Sabrosa in the chest and deflected into the goal. But Ronaldo became a regular starter for theSelecção, helping them reach the Euro 2004 final and fourth place in the 2006 World Cup. 

In 2007, Ronaldo claimed the captain's armband for Portugal and led them to the European Championship in 2016. He is the team's all-time leader in appearances (133) and goal (61). 

6 July 2009 - Ronaldo's Real Big Welcome

On 6 July 2009, over 80,000 people gathered at the Bernabéu to meet Real Madrid's newest star, Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo. The event was the culmination of an effort that took over two years and £80 million to complete.

Rumors of Real Madrid's interest in Ronaldo surfaced in March 2007, but Manchester United were unwilling to part with him and signed him to a five-year extension worth £31 million. But while winning the Premier League with United in 2007, 2008, and 2009, as well as the 2008 Champions League, the winger began to reciprocate the interest from the Spaniards. And on 11 June 2009, the two clubs reached a deal. Real Madrid paid an £80 million transfer fee to United, while Ronaldo received a 6-year deal worth €11 million per year. The signing was part of a second Galácticos wave that included Kaká, Karim Benzema, and Xabi Alonso.

To welcome Ronaldo to Madrid, the club hosted a presentation at the Bernabéu. 80,000 people showed up to watch Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez hand Ronaldo the number 9 shirt that had once been worn by club legends Hugo Sanchez, Ronaldo, and Alfredo di Stéfano.

Ronaldo went on to score 33 goals in his first season as Real Madrid finished second in the league to Barcelona.

3 March 2011 - Pellegrini's Unwelcome Return

On 3 March 2011, Real Madrid welcomed their former manager back to the Bernabeu by crushing his new team 7-0.

The manager in question was Manuel Pellegrini, who had taken charge of Real Madrid in June 2009 for their second Galacticos period that saw them acquire Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, and Karim Benzema for an approximate total of £200M in transfer fees. But after only one season--in which they finished as league runners-up to Barcelona--the club sacked Pellegrini in order to hire José Mourinho.

In November 2010, Pellegrini signed a three-year deal to manage Málaga. They had already lost to Real Madrid in the league the previous month, so the game in March was his first time facing his former employers.

It was a rout. Two of Pellegrini's signings scored a total of five goals (three from Ronaldo and two from Benzema), while Ángel di María and and Marcelo added goals of their own to stretch the margin to 7-0. When the final whistle blew, Málaga were down to nine men, with one ejected and one injured after Pellegrini had made all three substitutions.

Although the loss sent them down to 19th place, things did get better for the club as they finished the season in eleventh.

5 February 1985 - Silver Polish Makes A Good Present

On 5 February 1985, three-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo was born in Funchal, Portugal. 

A right winger, Ronaldo started his professional career in 2002 with Lisbon's Sporting CP. Only 16, he broke into the first team that year, making a total of 31 appearances and scoring 5 goals. In a friendly against Manchester United in the summer of 2003, he so impressed the opposing player that they urged manager Alex Ferguson to sign him. Ferguson complied, bringing Ronaldo to Manchester for £12.24 million.

Although frequently criticized by opposing fans and the media for simulation, Ronaldo blossomed at United, making 40 appearances in his first season as United lifted the FA Cup. More silverware followed, including three straight league titles (2007, 2008, 2009) and the UEFA Champions League trophy (2008). In the double-winning 2007-08 season, he scored a career-best 41 goals in all competitions and won both the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year Award.

In the summer of 2009, he consummated a year-long courtship with Spanish giants Real Madrid, who paid a world-record £80 million to pull him away from United. Since then, he's made 328 appearances for them and scored 343 goals, while winning La Liga in 2012 and the Champions League in 2014. He also won the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2013 and 2014.

23 December 2006 - United Teach Mourinho A Special Lesson

On 23 December 2006, Manchester United scored their 2000th goal under Sir Alex Ferguson, delivered by Cristiano Ronaldo in a 0-3 trouncing of Aston Villa.

United started the day at the top of the table, 2 points clear of second-place Chelsea, whose manager, José Mourinho, had predicted that United would not top the table at Christmas. Despite the pressure to get all three points, Ferguson rested star striker Wayne Rooney in favor of Louis Saha, playing alongside wingers Ronaldo and Ji Sung Park in a 4-3-3 formation. That decision looked questionable in the first half, as Saha failed to ignite United's anemic attack.

But as Ferguson prepared to bring Rooney on in the second half, Ronaldo completed a dashing 50-yard run then unleashed a fierce shot in the 58th minute. Villa defender Gary Cahill managed to block it, but failed to control the ball which landed at Ronaldo's feet for an easy goal--United's 2,000th under Ferguson. Paul Scholes added a second in the 64th minute before Ronaldo completed the rout with another in the 85th minute.

The win secured United's position at the top of the table for Christmas; indeed, they remained in first for the remainder of the season to capture their 16th league title.

1 December 2009 - The Ballon d'Or Gets Messi

On 1 December 2009, Lionel Messi capped an amazing year by winning the Ballon d'Or as the world's best footballer. And he did by a record margin of votes.

A panel of sports journalists from around the world voted on the award, which had previously been limited to players from European clubs, but expanded in 2007 to include footballers from anywhere in the world.

The award came on the heels of Messi's incredible run with Barcelona in 2008-09 in which the Catalan club won a staggering total of six trophies--La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Supercopa de España, the UEFA Super Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup, and the UEFA Champions League. Messi was one of four players from that team to finish in the voters' top five--the others were Xavi (3rd), Andrés Iniesta (4th), and Samuel Eto'o (5th), who had since moved to Inter in the summer of 2009.

The second-place finisher was Cristiano Ronaldo, who had won the award over Messi in 2008. In 2009, Messi finished with 473 out of a possible 480 first-place votes, more than doubling Ronaldo's total that year of 233 votes and setting a record separation of 240 votes between first and second place. The previous record was 167, set in 2007 when voting expanded to accommodate the award's new global scope. Cristiano Ronaldo had finished second that year to future Real Madrid teammate Kaká.

In 2010, the Ballon d'Or merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year Award to create the FIFA Ballon d'Or. Messi won that award in 2010, 2011, and 2012, with Ronaldo winning it in 2013 and 2014.

29 August 2009 - Ronaldo Opens His La Liga Account

On 29 August 2009, Real Madrid began their second Galacticos period, opening their La Liga season at home against Deportivo de La Coruña. The match marked the first league appearance for their record £80 million signing, Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo, who rewarded the Madrid faithful by scoring his first league goal.

Ronaldo started the match alongside fellow Madrid debutants Kaká, Karim Benzema, and Xabi Alonso, all part of Real's €250M summer spending spree. It was veteran forward Raul, however, who put the hosts ahead with a 26th-minute goal. Ronaldo nearly doubled the lead three minutes later, but his header went over the bar.

After Deportivo equalized in the 30th minute with a header from forward Riki, Ronaldo got another chance, as keeper Daniel Aranzubia brought Raul down in the box in the 35th minute and the winger converted the penalty kick. The visitors drew level again in the next minute, leaving Real midfielder Lassana Diarra to score the match-winning goal in the 60th minute.

10 April 2007 - The Red Devils Roll A Lucky Seven

On 10 April 2007, Manchester United staged a dramatic Champions League quarterfinal turnaround, overcoming a 2-1 first leg deficit by beating Roma 7-1 in the second leg and advancing 8-3 on aggregate.

The Italians entered the match at Old Trafford brimming with confidence. They had dominated United for most of the first leg at the Stadio Olimpico in a match that ended 2-1, but could have been much worse for the English side, who also saw midfielder Paul Scholes sent off in the first half of that match after receiving two yellow cards.

United, however, quickly dispelled any notions that they were going to roll over in the second leg, as midfielder Michael Carrick and forwards Alan Smith and Wayne Rooney scored three early first-half goals in quick succession (Carrick 12', Smith 17', Rooney 19'). Stunned, Roma pushed forward in attack, only to leave their defense exposed. Cristiano Ronaldo took advantage of the space, scoring goals on either side of the break (44', 49') to push the lead to 5-0.

Carrick completed his brace with a 60th-minute rocket to make it 6-0 before Roma finally drew blood with a 69th-minute shot from Daniele de Rossi. Roma's humiliation was complete in the 81st minute, as United back Patrice Evra knocked a low shot past keeper Doni to complete the final scoreline of 7-1.

The win set up a semifinal match-up against AC Milan, who beat United 3-5 on aggregate on their way to winning their seventh European Cup/Champions League title.

19 March 2008 - Better Than Best

On 19 March 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo scored both goals in Manchester United's 2-0 win to pass George Best on the club's ranking for most goals in a single season.

The match was Ronaldo's first as captain, in the absence of regular skippers Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, and Rio Ferdinand, and he responded to the challenge well. His first goal came in just the ninth minute as he volleyed a corner kick past Bolton keeper Ali Al Habsi and his second followed just eleven minutes later. After being fouled by Bolton's Abdoulaye Méité in the 20th minute, Ronaldo delivered a stunningly precise free kick that easily beat Al Habsi.

That second goal was Ronaldo's 33rd goal of the season in all competitions, surpassing Best's best tally of 32, set in 1967-68. He finished the year with a total of 42, only four behind Denis Law's club record of 46 in 1963-64.

The win put United three points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table, where they would remain for the rest of the season to claim their 18th league title.

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.

21 May 2008 - Chelsea's Trophy Slipped Away

On 21 May 2008, Manchester United defeated Chelsea in the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow before a crowd of over 67,000. The match was the first all-English European Cup/Champions League final as well as the first one held in Russia.

The two teams entered the Final having finished the English Premier League season in the top two spots. United won the league, only two points ahead of the Blues.

United winger Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring with a header in the 26th minute. Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard then equalized in the 45th minute.

Chelsea carried the momentum into the second half, in which they continually pressured United. Michael Essien, Michael Ballack, and Didier Drogba all had good chances to put Chelsea ahead, but their shots just missed the goal. The teams ended the second half still tied at 1-1 and went into extra time, where Drogba received a red card in the 116th minute for hitting United defender Nemanja Vidić. The teams finished extra time still at 1-1 and advanced to penalty kicks.

United went first and, through nine kicks, the teams were tied at 4-4, with Chelsea keeper Petr Cech having made a diving save to keep Ronaldo's shot out. Chelsea defender and captain John Terry then stepped up to take what would have been the winning kick, but he slipped and sent his shot wide.

On the fourth kick of sudden death, United keeper Edwin Van der Sar saved Nicolas Anelka's kick, giving United a 6-5 win on penalties and the club's third European Cup trophy.

27 January 2013 - A Hat-Trick Perfected

On 27 January 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo scored a perfect hat-trick in an 11-minute span as Real Madrid beat Getafe 4-0.

The defending champions, Real Madrid started the day in third, chasing Atletico Madrid and Barcelona for the league title. They had additional incentive to win in order to avenge their away loss to Getafe from August. Still, despite a handful of early chances, it took until the 54th minute for Real Madrid to take the lead with Sergio Ramos bundling the ball home after a goalmouth scramble.

Eight minutes later, Ronaldo doubled the lead with a left-footed shot that beat a defender and the keeper to the far post; the 300th goal of his club career. Then, in the 65th minute, he scored with a header to push the margin to 3-0. Finally, he added a 72nd-minute penalty, scored with his right foot to complete the perfect hat-trick.

Madrid went on to take 42 of 51 available points over the remainder of the season, but finished as runners-up to Barcelona.

11 June 2009 - That Kind Of Interest Would Turn My Head, Too

On 11 June 2009, a lengthy transfer saga reached its conclusion when Manchester United accepted Real Madrid's £80M offer for winger Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Spanish team had been pursuing the 24-year old Ronaldo, the 2008 Ballon d'Or winner and FIFA World Player of the Year, since the previous summer. Their interest was so overt that, in June 2008, Manchester United lodged a formal complaint with FIFA accusing Real Madrid of trying to unsettle him. And, after winning a third consecutive league title in 2009, Ronaldo appeared to be both ready and willing to leave.

Real Madrid's increased desire to sign him coincided with the return of Florentino Pérez as club president. The architect of the team's first Galactico period that saw the signing of expensive and high-profile players like Zinedine Zidane, Brazilian striker Ronaldo, and David Beckham, Pérez had already embarked on a second Galactico campaign, signing midfielder Kaká from AC Milan just a day earlier for what was briefly the club's record signing fee of £56M. But they shattered that mark for Ronaldo, setting a world-record transfer fee with their offer of £80M.

Since moving to Madrid, Ronaldo has been a prolific scorer, averaging over 50 goals a season in all competitions, including an incredible 60 goals in 2011-12. But while he continues to be individually successful, the trophies have not followed at quite the same pace, with only one La Liga title and one Copa del Rey in his four seasons there.