Cristiano Ronaldo was named as FIFA World Player of the Year for 2008 on Monday and became the first Premier League player to get the award at a star-studded gala in Zurich.
The 23-year-old was in stunning form last term when he helped Manchester United to Premier League and European Cup success hitting 42 goals in the process, and after FIFA’s annual poll of international team coaches and captains he has added the world governing body’s prize to the prestigious Ballon d’Or which he has already received.
Ronaldo received the award from Pele, and said: ”It is an overwhelming moment and a very special moment in my life and I would like to say to my mother and sister that the fireworks can be set off now.
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Manchester United remain hopeful that Cristiano Ronaldo will be back in action by October.
Having committed his short-term future to the Red Devils, ending the constant speculation linking him with a move to Real Madrid, the Portugal international is now concentrating on regaining full fitness as soon as possible.
The talismanic winger underwent ankle surgery shortly after Euro 2008 and is still some way off a first-team return.
However, having been assessed by the United medical team on Friday, Sir Alex Ferguson is happy with the progress being made by Ronaldo in his rehabilitation.
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Sir Alex Ferguson says that Cristiano Ronaldo will be at Old Trafford for the foreseeable future. Ronaldo pledged his immediate future to Manchester United earlier this week, but stated that he would one day like to end up at Real Madrid.
That seemed to signal that this may be Ronaldo’s final season as a Manchester United player but, speaking ahead of Sunday’s Community Shield, Ferguson expressed confidence that the Portuguese winger will remain at the club for the four remaining years of his contract – and possibly even beyond.
“As he gets older, I think Cristiano will appreciate being here more and more,” Ferguson said. “That happens with players the longer they stay here. They don’t want to leave. It’s unusual for anyone to want to leave Manchester United. Cristiano realises that, too.
“We had a good meeting over in Portugal and clarified a lot of things. He was good, and I was pleased with that. That’s why I was confident that everything was going to be all right. Cristiano will settle down and enjoy his career here. He’s got four years on his contract, and hopefully at some point we would like to extend it. That’s where we are.”
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Sir Alex Ferguson insists he has no qualms about Cristiano Ronaldo spending time in Los Angeles as he recovers from his recent ankle operation.
The Manchester United manager revealed the club have sent an employee to accompany the Portuguese winger.
“He was always scheduled to have this time off in Los Angeles. There was no harm in going there,” said Ferguson.
“He’s doing some commercial things. I think he’s signed up with an LA-based company. I’ve someone there with him.”
Ferguson dismissed as “a load of rubbish” reports Ronaldo has been drinking and partying excessively during his rehabilitation.
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Sir Alex Ferguson returns to work at Manchester United this morning after his holiday, convinced that he will triumph in the forthcoming battle of wills with Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portugal winger is determined to engineer a move to Real Madrid, but Ferguson is vehemently opposed to selling and will spend this week examining ways to strengthen his squad.
The two men are not believed to have spoken since Ronaldo left Manchester to join the Portugal squad in late May, with the player doing nothing to dispel rumours of growing tension between him and his club manager.
But while Ferguson has been disappointed by some of Ronaldo’s comments, he does not want to sell the player and is convinced that Ronaldo will drop the issue when he learns of the extent of United’s opposition to the sale.
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