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#3 Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid
Signed from Manchester United for €94 million, Cristiano Ronaldo became the most expensive transfer in world football in 2009. 80,000 people came to welcome the 2008 Ballon d’Or at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Cristiano Ronaldo, characteristically, pleased them by chanting “Hala Madrid!” at the top of his lungs.
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Real Madrid knew they had a special player on their roster and his official debut could not come soon enough. Cristiano Ronaldo made his official debut on August 29th, 2009 against Deportivo La Coruna at home.
Ronaldo started alongside Raul, Karim Benzema and Kaka in attack and scored a 35th-minute penalty to open his account. Real Madrid won 3-2 on the night, marking Ronaldo’s first of many wins at the club.
#2 Lionel Messi at PSG
They say “all good things must come to an end.” FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi understood the gut-wrenching reality of this statement in the summer of 2021. Struck by the double whammy of COVID-19 and a huge wage bill, which was not in accordance with La Liga rules, FC Barcelona failed to offer Lionel Messi a contract. Paris Saint-Germain cashed in on the opportunity and got the Barcelona captain on their books without paying a single dime to Barcelona.
The move went through swiftly and Lionel Messi was presented as a PSG player ahead of the match against Strasbourg. Fans at the Parc des Princes Stadium wildly celebrated his arrival but could not see him in action.
Finally, on August 29th, 2021, Messi made his PSG debut away at Reims. He came on in the second half with 30 minutes to play but could not score or assist on his debut. Unsurprisingly, the match against Reims became the most-watched fixture in Ligue 1 history, with 10.5 million viewers tuning in for Messi’s debut.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid debut was a sight to behold as thousands of fans cheered him on at the top of their lungs. At Juventus, too, he was greeted with much applause, which made him feel at home right away. However, his upcoming re-debut for old club Manchester United will undoubtedly overshadow the two former events.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who made 292 appearances and scored 118 goals during his first spell at Manchester United, is an out-and-out legend for the club. Ronaldo not only won his first Ballon d’Or (2008) at Old Trafford but also won nine major honors, including three Premier League titles and a Champions League, with the Red Devils.
Manchester United have reacquired Ronaldo’s services for €15 million and a maximum of €8 million in bonuses, which might seem excessive for a 36-year-old. However, given Ronaldo’s status and fan following at the club, the move seems to be a perfect fit for both parties.
Cristiano Ronaldo, whose new number 7 jersey is setting sales records across the planet, could make his second United debut against Newcastle United on Saturday.
Also Read: Ranking the 5 most eventful transfer windows in the 21st century
