Cristiano Ronaldo or Sir Bobby Charlton? Sir Jim Ratcliffe names his best Man Utd player of all time - with help from Sir Alex Ferguson anecdote

Ronaldo spent two stints at Old Trafford, where he trained under Sir Alex Ferguson from 2003 to 2009 and then joined the club again in August of 2021 as a five-time Ballon d'Or winner. The Portuguese superstar's second stint was all but good as the ageing Ronaldo failed to live up to the expectations and also tore into the club's management structure before being frozen out and sold to Saudi Pro League side, Al-Nassr. There is no chance that United's new minority owner Ratcliffe will bring Ronaldo back, but he has stated that the Al Nassr striker is the best player in the club's history comparing him with Sir Bobby Charlton.

Speaking on the Geraint Thomas Cycling Club podcast, Ratcliffe said: "Best player in Man Utd history? Probably Ronaldo, I guess. I remember Bobby Charlton a bit, and he was obviously the legend of Manchester United.

"But I once asked Alex Ferguson who the best player he had ever coached was, and he said Ronaldo. It was the first time I met (Ferguson), actually, at a League Managers Association dinner. But, George Best, I suppose was probably the most naturally gifted player I’ve ever seen play football."

After Ronaldo made an impression in a pre-season friendly between Sporting CP and Man Utd, Ferguson signed the then-18-year-old player for approximately £12 million ($15.3m) in August 2003. After a difficult first season at Old Trafford, the Portuguese sensation went on to become one of the greatest players in the world. In his penultimate season at United, Ronaldo scored an incredible 42 goals in 49 games before securing a world-record £80 million ($102.3m) transfer to Real Madrid. Ronaldo won three Premier League championships and one Champions League during his six-year tenure at the Red Devils.

The four-time European Golden Boot winner has called it time on his European excursions and is now playing with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, he is still actively participating with the Portuguese national team and will be in action with them against Slovenia on March 26.