2009 saw one of the biggest deals in soccer history as Real Madrid splurged a massive $80 million to sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United. The move came as a big surprise, with many believing the player would stay with the Red Devils considering his close relationship with manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Former Man United CEO David Gill commented on the club’s decision to sell the player during his appearance on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast claiming the club’s hands were tied behind their backs.

Cristiano first joined Manchester United back in 2003 under Sir Alex Ferguson. The Portuguese superstar did not take a lot of time adjusting himself to life at Old Trafford. The late 2000s saw Cristiano establish himself as one of the biggest names. However, after winning 3 consecutive league titles, a Champion League, and a Ballon d’Or among many other achievements, CR7 left everyone stunned in 2009, penning a blockbuster contract with Los Blancos.

David Gill speaks on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United exit in 2009

David Gill was present on Rio Ferdinand’s Vibe with Five podcast earlier this week with the former United executive talking about his time with the club. The former Manchester United CEO during the podcast also opened up on Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Real Madrid, stating it was the player’s camp that put the stamp of approval on the deal.

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Gill claimed, “We lost to Barcelona, and then Ronaldo’s advisers, legal advisers, said they were going to exercise the clause. At the time, it was good. At that time, to get 80 million upfront, it’s good. Look, he’s a brilliant player. We did not want to lose him, but I think you need to understand the game. If we didn’t do something like that, he would be upset. He would be difficult.”

The Portuguese superstar had a sensational stint with Manchester United during his first run with the club. Cristiano from 2003 to 2009 made over 250 outings for the Red Devils, registering over a hundred goals for the club. However, the Portuguese felt he had achieved everything at Manchester United and wanted a new challenge.

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Did Ronaldo force his way to Real Madrid?

While Cristiano and Manchester United seemed like a match made in heaven, the player had his eyes set on bigger goals. After winning the Champions League in 2008, Ronaldo publicly expressed his desire to join Real Madrid. Cristiano in an interview stated, “After we’d won the Champions League, I felt that in five years I had helped win everything there was to win.”

He further added, “We’d won the Premier League twice, and I’d won a host of individual awards, including the best goalscorer in the Premier League, Champions League, and in Europe. So I felt that maybe I needed a new challenge. I never hid the fact that I wanted to play in Spain, at Real Madrid in particular, and I thought this could be the right moment.” 

Despite Sir Alex Ferguson’s attempts to keep hold of the player, Cristiano joined Madrid in 2009, defining an era during his time at Santiago Bernabeu. While the Portuguese superstar returned to Manchester United for a brief stint in 2021, things did not work out between both parties. Despite being United’s top scorer in his first season back, Cristiano eventually left the club to join Al Nassr in December 2022. Having recently turned 39, the Portuguese superstar is still going strong. Looking back, no matter what, Ronaldo will surely be fondly remembered as one of the best players who dawned the iconic number 7 and lit up Old Trafford.

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