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‘That all you’ve got’ – I was Cristiano Ronaldo’s first Premier League opponent and he ran rings around me
Former Premier defender Nicky Hunt revealed the gruelling details of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United debut. In August 2003 Sir Alex Ferguson green lit the signing of Ronaldo for £12m from Sporting Lisbon, a then record for a teenager in England. Ronaldo scored 103 Premier League goals for Man UnitedAFP And on 16 August the winger made his debut as a substitute in a 4-0 home win over Sam Allardyce‘s Bolton Wanderers. Ronaldo was matched up against Nicky Hunt who played right-back. Speaking on Ronaldo’s birthday today, Hunt told talkSPORT: “Making your debut at Old Trafford, it’s something you dream about. “There was speculation about this wonderkid that Man United and Alex Ferguson had signed. “He came on at 1-0 and the rest they say is history after that. “That’s the only way to stop him, foul him. I think I hit him twice in the first five minutes and he just brushed it off and got straight back up. “I was in for a tough 25 minutes. When you’ve hit somebody as hard as you can and they just stand back up and give you a little wink as to say yeah is that all you got.” The Red Devils won that game 4-0 thanks to a brace from Ryan Giggs, one goal from Paul Scholes and another from Ruud van Nistelrooij. During the 2003/04 campaign Ronaldo appeared 29 times for Man United in the Premier League and netted 4 goals. It would take him until the 2006/07 season to net double figures, when he scored 17 in 34 league appearances. Ronaldo also won three league titles under Sir Alex FergusonGetty An improvement testament to the hard work Ronaldo put in as Hunt said. “In my era when I was playing there were players who got to the training ground early before anybody else but not at 6am like Ronaldo did at Manchester United,” he proclaimed. “That just separated him from everybody else.” An attitude and habit that led the Portuguese international to being arguably the best player of all time alongside Lionel Messi. A comparison thanks to his later move to Real Madrid where he stayed for nine years, before a stint at Juventus and return to Manchester United in 2021. He currently is still playing professional football in top condition at Saudi Arabia club Al-Nassr. “Each time I came up against him, he did get better,” continued Hunt. Ronaldo career stats Sporting Lisbon (2002-03): 31 games – 5 goals Man United (2003-09) and (2021-22): 346 games – 145 goals Real Madrid (2009-18): 438 games – 450 goals Juventus (2018-2021): 134 games – 101 goals Al Nassr (2023-): 89 games – 81 goals Ronaldo had his best season at Man United from 2007 to 2008 when he secured the golden boot with 31 goals. A season which earned him his first Ballon d’Or. An award to add alongside his Champions League, three league titles, two league cups and an FA Cup at Man United. The former Bolton player detailed: “He was predominantly right footed so I’d show him down the line on his left. That’s the only thing you can do against a player like that. Just show him into the bodies where we have three in midfield compared to Man United’s two. “Try and get help from your teammates because you know It’ll be difficult to mark him 1v1.” An opinion held by the majority of full-backs unlucky enough to face off against Ronaldo.
Former Premier defender Nicky Hunt revealed the gruelling details of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United debut.
In August 2003 Sir Alex Ferguson green lit the signing of Ronaldo for £12m from Sporting Lisbon, a then record for a teenager in England.
And on 16 August the winger made his debut as a substitute in a 4-0 home win over Sam Allardyce‘s Bolton Wanderers.
Ronaldo was matched up against Nicky Hunt who played right-back.
Speaking on Ronaldo’s birthday today, Hunt told talkSPORT: “Making your debut at Old Trafford, it’s something you dream about.
“There was speculation about this wonderkid that Man United and Alex Ferguson had signed.
“He came on at 1-0 and the rest they say is history after that.
“That’s the only way to stop him, foul him. I think I hit him twice in the first five minutes and he just brushed it off and got straight back up.
“I was in for a tough 25 minutes. When you’ve hit somebody as hard as you can and they just stand back up and give you a little wink as to say yeah is that all you got.”
The Red Devils won that game 4-0 thanks to a brace from Ryan Giggs, one goal from Paul Scholes and another from Ruud van Nistelrooij.
During the 2003/04 campaign Ronaldo appeared 29 times for Man United in the Premier League and netted 4 goals.
It would take him until the 2006/07 season to net double figures, when he scored 17 in 34 league appearances.
An improvement testament to the hard work Ronaldo put in as Hunt said.
“In my era when I was playing there were players who got to the training ground early before anybody else but not at 6am like Ronaldo did at Manchester United,” he proclaimed. “That just separated him from everybody else.”
An attitude and habit that led the Portuguese international to being arguably the best player of all time alongside Lionel Messi.
A comparison thanks to his later move to Real Madrid where he stayed for nine years, before a stint at Juventus and return to Manchester United in 2021.
He currently is still playing professional football in top condition at Saudi Arabia club Al-Nassr.
“Each time I came up against him, he did get better,” continued Hunt.
Ronaldo career stats
Sporting Lisbon (2002-03): 31 games – 5 goals
Man United (2003-09) and (2021-22): 346 games – 145 goals
Real Madrid (2009-18): 438 games – 450 goals
Juventus (2018-2021): 134 games – 101 goals
Al Nassr (2023-): 89 games – 81 goals
Ronaldo had his best season at Man United from 2007 to 2008 when he secured the golden boot with 31 goals.
A season which earned him his first Ballon d’Or. An award to add alongside his Champions League, three league titles, two league cups and an FA Cup at Man United.
The former Bolton player detailed: “He was predominantly right footed so I’d show him down the line on his left. That’s the only thing you can do against a player like that. Just show him into the bodies where we have three in midfield compared to Man United’s two.
“Try and get help from your teammates because you know It’ll be difficult to mark him 1v1.”
An opinion held by the majority of full-backs unlucky enough to face off against Ronaldo.
