Ronaldo returns to Old Trafford in style
Star scores two goals in first home game since rejoining Man United
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND—The leap, swivel and landing with outstretched arms as the Old Trafford crowd roared.
If anyone missed it the first time on Saturday — and it’s hard to imagine when so many eyes were transfixed on Cristiano Ronaldo — they got another chance in the second half.
This was always going to be Ronaldo’s day. Two goals, two chances to stage his trademark celebration in a 4-1 victory over Newcastle, ensured the performance matched the club hype that fans young and old embraced with their “Viva Ronaldo” chants and willingness to hand over cash for new jerseys.
Less than five months ago, fans were storming the stadium in a rage against the owners. Now the green-and-gold anti-Glazer protest scarves are hanging over the No. 7 Ronaldo shirts the megastore is struggling to match the demand for in the two weeks since he arrived from Juventus.
The “get out of our club” chants were aimed by Newcastle supporters at their owner, not at the home directors’ seats where Avram Glazer would have struggled to hear the few songs taunting his family from the Stretford end.
For Old Trafford’s second capacity crowd (about 74,000) since the start of the pandemic 18 months ago, the “welcome home” announcements left no doubt they were for the superstar on the field.
“There was loads of expectation and he has delivered,” said United manager and former teammate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. “He’s still a ruthless and clinical goal scorer. He smells the big moment.”
Support for Ronaldo wasn’t unanimous. The gender justice group Level Up hired a plane to fly over the stadium with a banner that read “#Believe Kathryn Mayorga” — in support of the woman who accused Ronaldo of rape. That criminal case was dismissed, but she has launched a civil suit.
Ronaldo left United a year after winning his first Ballon D’Or in 2008. The Portugal captain returned a five-time winner at age 36.
It took until the second minute of stoppage time at the end of the first half for him to restart the goal count left at 118 in 2009. Few goals will be easier, tapping into an empty net after goalkeeper Freddie Woodman fumbled a ball by Mason Greenwood.
“There’s more to it than that,” Solskjaer said. “He’s anticipating the rebound.”
It was a goal United fans hadn’t seen in 12 years and feared would never happen, especially when he came close to signing with rival Manchester City after he unexpectedly became available in the final days of the summer transfer window.
There was a moment of unease when United’s need for a new defensive midfielder was highlighted by the failings that led to Newcastle’s Javier Manquillo being able to equalize in the second half. But Ronaldo had the lead restored in the 62nd. All the running in the buildup was from Luke Shaw before slipping the ball through for Ronaldo to effortlessly put the ball between Woodman’s legs.
And there it was again, the signature celebration finessed during his time at Real Madrid, this time in front of the Stretford End, where Ronaldo shouted “Siuuu! (Yesss!)”