'Penalties don't count': Sir Alex Ferguson once tried to get out of a bet on Cristiano Ronaldo after Edwin van der Sar was eliminated

It may seem unimaginable given that 50-goal seasons soon became the norm, but back then 15 was considered ambitious for Cristiano Ronaldo.

He Portuguese megastar He was entering his fourth term with Manchester United when Alex Ferguson set the record after seasons of six, nine and 12 goals from the wing.

By the time the New Year arrived, Ronaldo had equalled his previous best of 12 goals, scoring twice in three consecutive games to end 2006 on a high and take home the Premier League Player of the Month award for Christmas.

After receiving the award, the 21-year-old said: “Beating the coach is my ambition and I want to continue like this, I want to score more goals.”

Ronaldo was referring to a bet he made with Ferguson, worth £400, that he would not make it to 15 by the end of the season.

Football resumed in the New Year, but Ronaldo did not: he failed to follow up his six goals in three games and did not score in the next two.

However, he was back among them against Aston Villathen Watford, and Ferguson was sweating ahead of White Hart Lane next time out.

There, Ronaldo made sure he could go into the break with his head held high.

The No7 forced his way into the penalty area in added time and, after being brought down by Steed Malbranque, converted the resulting penalty to put his manager out of the game.

That match was perhaps best remembered for John O'Shea, who finished the match in goal after… Edwin van der Sar He was knocked out by Robbie Keane's knee, but Ferguson couldn't forget about the bet.

When Sky Sports' Geoff Shreeves reminded him of his best moment after the match, he replied: “Penalties don't count. Well, I guess I'll have to go to the bench.”

He added: “It's fantastic, the boy is playing great, he has the courage to play and he always wants the ball.

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“I actually thought he was a bit careless in the first half of the game, but once he got the ball, he improved by having more possession of it.

“He’s that kind of player, you have to serve him and pass him the ball and make him work in the game, he’s not the kind of player who can play on the sidelines, he has to be involved all the time.”

Ronaldo finished the season with 20 goals in total in all competitions, and even with three of them coming from penalties, Ferguson had little to argue with.

Learning from his mistakes, Ferguson wisely played it safe the following season, when Ronaldo scored 42 goals in all competitions and took home the European Golden Boot.

The great Manchester United manager helped turn Ronaldo into one of the best players in the world after signing him in 2003.

He arrived from Sporting when he was a teenager. beating fellow Premier League side Charlton To your signature.

There is a huge amount of mutual admiration between the couple.

“As everyone knows, since I signed at 18, Sir Alex Ferguson was the key,” Ronaldo told MUTV.

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“I remember when we played against Manchester when I was at Sporting Lisbon. For me, Sir Alex Ferguson is like a father in football.

“He helped me a lot, he taught me a lot of things and, in my opinion, of course, he played an important role because we had a very close relationship, we keep in touch all the time and he is an incredible person.

“I like him a lot and he was the main key to me being in the position I am in, signing for Manchester United.”

After leaving Manchester United for Real Madrid, he became a global icon, winning countless titles and five Ballon d'Ors.

At 39, he still plays in the Saudi Pro League with Al Nassr.

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