#2 Ronaldo vs Manchester United 2003
The Brazilian enjoyed some marvellous years in Europe as he proved to be a fearsome presence up front for PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and AC Milan. With a goal tally of 272 in 449 appearances across all competitions during his time in Europe, the Brazilian was the elite striker in Europe and it came as no surprise that he was snapped up by Real Madrid in the summer of 2002.
His most pivotal performance and hat trick came in a Champions League encounter against Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United. It was Guti who played a crucial role in his first goal as he slid a ball to him from the middle of the park. However, Rio Ferdinand’s defensive and Fabian Barthez’s erraticness in front of the goal were on display as the Brazilian left the Englishman clicking on his heels before beating the Frenchman at the near post.
His second was a result of an unselfish move by the marauding Roberto Carlos who latched on to a beautifully threaded pass by the French master Zinedine Zidane before squaring it for Ronaldo to apply the finishing touches. Ronaldo required no help for his third goal as he found the ball with the goal 35 yards away and let fly from outside the box to find the far corner of the goal.
When he left the pitch in the 80th minute, the player deservedly received a standing ovation from both the sets of fans it will be a moment to cherish for the legendary striker forever.
