Man Utd 4-2 Derby (4-3 agg) By Chris Bevan

John O'Shea celebrates after scoring his first goal of the season

Manchester United booked their place in the Carling Cup final despite being given a late scare by Derby County.

The Rams led 1-0 from the first leg but a fierce Nani strike levelled the tie and defensive errors let John O'Shea and Carlos Tevez put United in charge.

Derby improved after the break and Giles Barnes replied from the spot when Paul Green was fouled in the area.

Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty seemed to have sealed United's win but Barnes' superb free-kick set up a tense finale.

It is United who have reached Wembley, where they will take on Burnley or Tottenham, but the Championship strugglers still deserve praise for the spirit they showed at Old Trafford when the game looked dead and buried.

It also emphasised how there could have been a very different outcome had Derby made the most of their opportunities in the first leg.

The Rams had won that game courtesy of Kris Commons' strike but they wasted several other chances and their failure to take more than a one-goal cushion to Old Trafford was always going to make their task in the second leg a difficult one.

Things began promisingly enough for Derby when Commons hustled Darron Gibson off the ball and fired in a rasping shot that United keeper Ben Foster was grateful to see fly wide.

But, once United settled and began to probe the Rams defence, they found gaping holes and took full advantage.

On 16 minutes, Nani was allowed to pick up the ball on the half-way line and advance unchallenged towards the penalty area before letting fly with a ferocious shot that Roy Carroll got a hand to but could not keep out of his net.

Things got worse for Derby six minutes later when Gary Teale stepped up to try to catch O'Shea offside but only succeeded in giving the Republic of Ireland defender time to pick his spot for his first goal this season.

And their defence disintegrated altogether on 34 minutes when Giggs fed Rafael with a quick corner and the Brazilian whipped in a curling cross that gave the unmarked Tevez the easy task of heading home from close range.

The tie looked done and dusted at that point and United, understandably, took their foot off the pedal after the break.

Carroll had to claw away a free-kick by Giggs, who had been in vintage form early on, immediately after the restart but from that point onwards it was all about Derby.

The Premier League leaders were not exactly under pressure but they were no longer threatening, while the Rams went close with Rob Hulse heading over and Green missing the target with a volley.

Things got even more interesting when defender Jonny Evans picked up an injury with 15 minutes left but was forced to play on as United had used up all three of their substitutes.

Evans was clearly struggling and that was a factor when he clipped Green in the box with 10 minutes left, allowing Barnes to drill home from the spot.

United responded well and Ronaldo, who had come off the bench, appeared to wrap things up with a penalty of his own after Tevez was brought down by Carroll.

But Barnes had other ideas and his superb free-kick in injury-time brought Derby within one goal of forcing extra-time.

It was not to be but the night was still far less straightforward than United might have anticipated at the interval.

To add to United's problems, Rafael and Anderson also picked up injuries and could face long lay-offs at a crucial stage of the season.

Man Utd: Foster, Rafael Da Silva (Fletcher 42), Neville (Chester 67), Evans, O'Shea, Nani, Gibson, Anderson, Giggs (Ronaldo 58), Welbeck, Tevez.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Tosic, Scholes, Possebon.

Booked: Rafael Da Silva, Fletcher.

Goals: Nani 16, O'Shea 22, Tevez 34, Ronaldo 89 pen.

Derby: Carroll, Connolly, Albrechtsen, Todd (Barazite 62), Stewart, Teale, Addison, Green, Davies (Savage 46), Commons (Barnes 68), Hulse.
Subs Not Used: Bywater, Villa, Nyatanga, Hines.

Booked: Addison, Green, Carroll.

Goals: Barnes 80 pen, 90.

Agg (4-3)

Att: 73,374

Ref: Mike Dean (Wirral).

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Man Utd heading to Asia for pre-season tour

MACAU (AFP) – Manchester United are heading to Asia in July for a pre-season tour with games in China, South Korea, Malaysia, and, for the first time, Indonesia, chief executive David Gill said Wednesday.

The Reds' provisional schedule will see the team depart from Britain on July 16 for China where they will play in a yet-to-be-decided city.

From there, they move to Seoul for a match on July 20 and then down to Jakarta for the first time, where they will take on an Indonesia Super League Select at the massive Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on July 24.

The European and Premier League champions wrap up the tour against a Malaysia XI in Kuala Lumpur July 26.

But Vietnam, which last month said it was prepared to pay up to 2.47 million US dollars to entice United for a one-off game, missed out.

"Our tours to Asia are always special," Gill said in Macau.

"The atmosphere generated by the supporters is amazing. The club enjoys unrivalled support across the continent and it is great to give those fans the opportunity to see their heroes in action in their own country.

"This tour takes in some new areas with a game in Malaysia, where we haven't played since 2001, and one in Indonesia, so it promises to provide some exciting new experiences."

United are hugely popular in the region and television revenues from Premier League games shown in Asia are big, but Gill insisted they wouldn't be making significant money from the tour.

"But our presence allows us to deal and have relationships with multinational companies," he said.

"That presence enables us to have that extra income which is then invested back into the club. Also it allows us to get closer to the fans."

United last toured Asia in 2007 when they visited China, South Korea, Japan and Macau.

But a date in Kuala Lumpur was scrapped after they found themselves embroiled in a spat with the Asian Football Confederation, which insisted no foreign team should be playing when the Asian Cup was being held in Malaysia.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson told the club website the players were already looking forward to Asia after their hugely successful trip to Japan in December when they won the Club World Cup and were treated like kings.

"The players are really looking forward to our Asia tour. For some, the Club World Cup in Japan was the first time they had experienced the passion generated by the club in Asia and they enjoyed it immensely," he said.

"We know we will get terrific support in each of the locations and we will be going to put on a show for our millions of fans over there. Indonesia will be a new experience for us and one I'm especially looking forward to."

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Ferguson unsure over Tevez deal

BBC News


Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed Carlos Tevez future at Manchester United is still uncertain.

Tevez joined United on a two-year loan that is due to expire in the summer.

It is thought the contract stipulates the sum United must pay the Argentina forward's advisers to buy him outright but so far, there has been no agreement on personal terms with speculation also surfacing that the Red Devils have tried to renegotiate the fee given Tevez has not been a first-team regular this term.

Ferguson confirmed United have attempted to instigate negotiations aimed at bringing forward a self-imposed deadline of next May. But so far it seems the Red Devils have met with little success.

"I have no idea about Tevez," said Ferguson. "The contract is due to be the end of the season anyway but obviously we tried to bring it forward and we will keep trying to do that.

"But it is difficult with agents sometimes. All the managers signing players this January will experience that."

Meanwhile, Gary Neville and Ji-Sung Park are both in line for new contracts at Old Trafford.

Really Good

lifelong United fan, Neville will celebrate his 34th birthday next month and despite almost 18 months on the sidelines with a broken ankle and various muscular ailments, Ferguson feels the England international has returned to something like his best form.

The emergence of teenage Brazilian starlet Rafael means Neville can no longer be regarded as automatic first-choice right-back, but he remains integral to the Scot's plans, even though he was surprisingly uninformed about the player's contract, which expires this summer.

"I have not spoken to David (Gill) about it but I am sure there will be another contract because Gary has been back to his best," said Ferguson.

"He is looking really good now and he did a crucial job for us when we brought him on against Middlesbrough last Monday.

"The experience he has is so important to us."

Similarly, Ferguson was unaware of the concern recently expressed by Park over his Old Trafford future.

The popular South Korean has overcome the disappointment of not even getting a place in the United squad for last season's Champions League final win over Chelsea to force his way into Ferguson's side on a regular basis this term.

Yet Park has claimed no-one from United has approached him about a contract that expires in 18 months, but his manager insists the former PSV Eindhoven player will get a new deal when the time is right.

Consistent Player

"It is not on the radar screen but he will be offered a contract," said Ferguson. "Ji has been fantastic for us and is one of our most consistent players."

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Torres backs Man Utd for league

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres believes that Manchester United are favourites to win the Premier League title after their 3-0 win over Chelsea.
Leaders Liverpool have a five point lead over third-placed United, but the Manchester side have two games in hand.

"They are the favourites and the champions right now and have shown over the years they are a very powerful team," said the 24-year-old Spaniard.

"They have two more games to play. If they catch up they will be top."

Torres, who was one of the nominees for the Fifa Player of the Year title, won by United's Cristiano Ronaldo, said his side's match at Old Trafford on 14 March could decide the destination of the title.

"We know we have Old Trafford waiting for us and then Arsenal and Chelsea at home - we have to fight until the very end," added the forward.

"The match at Old Trafford could turn out to be the decider and we hope we can be on an equal footing when we go there and try to win the match at a place that has not been advantageous for us in the past."

United are at home to Wigan on Wednesday before travelling to Bolton next Saturday.

Wins would see Sir Alex Ferguson's side gain the advantage in the title race with Liverpool not playing their next match until Monday 19 January when they host the derby against Everton.

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Ronaldo collects Fifa world title

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the Fifa World Player of the Year for 2008.
The Portugal and Manchester United midfielder becomes the first Premier League player to win the award.
Ronaldo, 23, beat AC Milan's Kaka, Liverpool's Fernando Torres and Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Xavi to the prestigious title.
"It's an overwhelming moment in my career and I'd like to dedicate this award to my family, friends and colleagues," said the winger.

Ronaldo's 42 goals for Manchester United last season helped the Old Trafford club to the Premier League and Champions League double.

The Portugal international, who also picked up the European Player of the Year crown in December and the FifPro World Footballer of the Year honour in October, paid special tribute to United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

"It's also true that the manager always has an important role to play. It was a great season for me and for my club, and the coach was important for me because I learned a lot for him.

"His experience over so many years is of paramount importance - it's a privilege to have such a great club manager.

"This is the climax of a fantastic era for me. I'm happy and proud about what has been done by my team and what we have won.

"I am lucky to be part of the history of a club like Manchester United."

The coaches and captains of 155 national teams took part in the voting for the award with Messi finishing second ahead of Torres, Kaka and Xavi.

Ronaldo's triumph sees him become only the second Portuguese player to pick up the Fifa title, following Luis Figo who won the award in 2001.

Meanwhile, Brazil forward Marta collected her third successive women's award.

"This is an amazing achievement for me," said the 22-year-old.

"This game has given me so many great moments of joy. This award is fantastic and I'd like to thank you all very much."

England and Arsenal Ladies striker Kelly Smith was one of the five nominees for the title.

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A vintage year for United

The year 2008 has certainly been one to remember for Manchester United Football Club. Champions of England, champions of Europe and now champions of the world due to their 1-0 victory over Liga de Quito in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup.

They did it the hard way. Completely dominating possession and play in the first half, United were in control of the game. That was until Nemanja Vidic elbowed Claudio Bieler in the face - and the Red Devil ended up seeing red. However, despite their numerical disadvantage, United still tried to play positively rather than try and close the game out and rely on the lottery of a penalty shoot-out, which saw them qualify for the competition after defeating Chelsea on spot-kicks in Moscow seven months ago.

Inspired by the prompting of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, Sir Alex Ferguson's side were rewarded Rooney, the adidas Golden Ball winner fired past the outstanding Jose Cevallos in the 73rd minute, which proved to be enough. Yet the English side were forced to rely on the heroics of Edwin van der Sar who pulled off two world-class saves to frustrate Alejandro Manso, who claimed the adidas Bronze Ball.

Third place went to AFC champions Gamba Osaka, who prevailed by a single goal over Pachuca in a tight match for third place. A well taken strike from Masato Yamazaki proved to be the difference between the two sides; with Osaka's victory blighted only by the tournament's first sending off, an injury-time red card for substitute Takahiro Futugawa.Yet the squad together with their enthusiastic supporters, who sang from start to finish at each of their three games in this competition, celebrated the win with gusto - which equaled Urawa Reds' achievement this time last year.

The tournament opened with a Trans-Tasman derby between Oceania champions Waitakere United of New Zealand, and Asian runners-up Adelaide United of Australia. After conceding goals in the third and fourth minute in the previous event, Waitakere underlined the progress they had made in the meantime by opening the scoring against Adelaide after 34 minutes at Tokyo's National Stadium, following a goalkeeping error. Adelaide, however, equalised before half-time, and captain Travis Dodd provided the winner for the Australians seven minutes from the close, to book a quarter-final rematch with Asian champions Gamba Osaka.

Before that, there was the other quarter-final to be contested, at the same stadium. Egypt's Al Ahly, the African champions, shocked their Mexican opponents Pachuca by going into a two-goal lead before half-time. Yet a spirited Pachuca fightback levelled the scores, forcing the match to extra time, where the Mexicans made their territorial dominance count with two more goals, from Damian Alvarez and Argentinian star Christian Gimenez.

Gamba Osaka, playing in front of a passionate crowd in Toyota City, went into an early lead against Adelaide with a well-worked goal from Japan international Yasuhito Endo. Adelaide, however, made a match of it in the second half, and only two late near-misses from Dodd and substitute Robert Younis prevented the match from going to extra time.

It was time for the big two to make their entry, and the first to do so were South American champions Liga de Quito, who had beaten the more fancied Argentinian and Brazilian clubs to win the Copa Libertadores. And the Ecuadorians showed it was no fluke by racing into a two-goal lead against Pachuca, and holding firm in the face of tremendous pressure from the Mexicans in the second period, with goalkeeper Jose Cevallos making two outstanding saves.

The long-awaited entry of European champions Manchester United sparked the event's most thrilling match. Faced with ‘home' side Gamba Osaka, Sir Alex Ferguson's men were committed to attack from the outset, and were rewarded with first-half goals for Nemanja Vidic and Cristiano Ronaldo, both headers from Ryan Giggs corners. Yet Gamba had creates chances of their own in the first period, and gave the English side a momentary fright when Masato Yamazaki pulled a goal back on 74 minutes. But then the United substitutes took over: England star Wayne Rooney scored twice in four minutes, sandwiched by a goal from Darren Fletcher, to give the Europeans an unassailable 5-1 lead. Yet Gamba refused to give up, and notched two consolation strikes before the whistle blew to signal the end of an unforgettable match.

Adelaide United emulated the feat of their Australian colleagues Sydney FC in 2005 by defeating Al Ahly in the play-off for fifth place. A brilliant individual goal from Cristiano in the seventh minute was enough for Aurelio Vidmar's side to prevail. There was also joy for the Australians after returning home as they scooped the FIFA Fair Play Award.

Adidas Golden Ball award
* 1: Wayne ROONEY (ENG)
* 2: CRISTIANO RONALDO (POR)
* 3: Alejandro MANSO (ARG)






* Winner: Manchester United 21 December 2008
* Runners-Up: Liga de Quito
* Third: Gamba Osaka
* Forth: Pachuca

News from fifa.com
photos by AFP.

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Rooney makes Red Devils reign

Ten-man Manchester United have won the FIFA Club World Cup, thanks to Wayne Rooney's 73rd minute goal over Liga de Quito in Yokohama.

However that fails to tell the story of an entertaining final, which saw Nemanja Vidic dismissed four minutes after the interval for an elbow on Claudio Bieler.

United were given a wake-up call as early as the fourth minute. Patrice Evra fouled Bieler on the edge of the penalty area and the resulting free-kick from Alejandro Manso almost caught United napping, with Jairo Campos unable to divert the ball past Edwin van der Sar from close range.

Save for a few long-range efforts from Bieler and Luis Bolanos, which whizzed wide of the United No1's right hand post, the first half was dominated by the Red Devils who were unlucky not to be ahead at the interval.

Their first chance came after ten minutes when Nemanja Vidic's long ball was well controlled by Rooney, who unleashed a ferocious volley which Jose Cevallos was forced to push away at full stretch. The England international also tested the keeper five minutes later when his low strike was turned behind for a corner.

Cevallos was in fine form and pulled off an outstanding save to deny Carlos Tevez whose header from Cristiano Ronaldo's cross seemed to be destined for the net. An audacious lob from Rooney hit the roof of the net, rather than the target and Park Ji-Sung should have at least tested the keeper when he was presented with an opportunity from close range.

Rooney, Carrick and Tevez all had chances from distance which went wide - and on the stroke of half-time, United went close again when Cristiano Ronaldo's cross from the right was hit wide.

The dynamics of the game change completely at the beginning of the second half when Vidic was sent off. The Serbian fouled Bieler just inside the United half and then elbowed him in the face. Referee Ravshan Irmatov had a full view of the incident and had no hesitation in brandishing the red card.

Tevez was sacrificed for Jonny Evans as Sir Alex Ferguson reshuffled, but despite the numerical disadvantage, United still played positively. Rooney forced Cevallos into two comfortable saves, but if the end product was lacking - the intent was admirable.

Liga de Quito's first shot on goal came in the 65th minute when a 25-yard thunderbolt from Manso was palmed away by van der Sar. It was a world-class save from the Dutchman, who at 38-years-old must still be rated as one of the finest goalkeepers in the world.

Rooney finally broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute with a fine goal. Michael Carrick slipped the ball to Cristiano Ronaldo who spotted and found the striker lurking to his left. He made no mistake, firing a low shot across the body of Cevallos and inside the far post.


As expected, the goal provoked a deluge of pressure from Liga de Quito - and once again van der Sar pulled off a truly outstanding save to deny Manso. The Argentinian must have thought he had equalised when his right-footed screamer was heading on target, but once again, he sprung at full stretch to tip the ball over.
That proved to be the last action of an entertaining match in a year which has seen Manchester United crowned champions of England, champions of Europe and champions of the world.



photos by AFP .( News from FIFA.com )

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United hit five in thriller

Manchester United booked their place in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2008 after a thrilling 5-3 victory over Gamba Osaka at the International Stadium in Yokohama. Incredibly, six of the goals came in the final 16 minutes as both sides produced a feast of attacking football.
Osaka, full of energy and enthusiasm, started the game on the front foot and they they set the tone for an entertaining first half in the fourth minute when Tomokazu Myojin fired in low shot from 25 yards which forced Edwin van der Sar into a smart save. However, the capacity crowd roared louder when Cristiano Ronaldo hit a shot straight at Yosuke Fujigaya two minutes later.

A sign that the Asian champions would be no pushovers came in the 13th minute when Ryuji Bando broke clear and found himself with just van der Sar to beat. However, the veteran Dutchman spread himself well to keep the scores level. Osaka too were given a let-off when Carlos Tevez failed to square the ball to the unmarked Ryan Giggs or Nani, who were bearing down on goal.

The frantic pace of the opening minutes eventually died down, which suited United who were able to keep possession and pick their passes to greater effect. As the pressure increased, Tevez's cross-field pass found Cristiano Ronaldo on the right and he fired a goalbound effort which took a deflection off Osaka skipper Satoshi Yamaguchi, giving the European champions a corner.


Ryan Giggs delivered an inch-perfect ball from the right and Serbian international Nemanja Vidic rose highest to head home, provoking thousands of cameras to flash around the stadium as the Red Devils celebrated.

Anderson had a great opportunity to make it 2-0 five minutes later, but headed Cristiano Ronaldo's centre wide from close range. This prompted a period of dominance from the European champions, but Akira Nishino's side were not going to give up without a fight. Lucas fired over from 25 yards and then Bando latched on to a loose pass from Rio Ferdinand, but rushed his shot which failed to trouble van der Sar.


With half-time approaching, Tevez turned quickly in the box and had a shot deflected wide. Another Giggs corner from the right produced the same result - a United goal. This time it was Cristiano Ronaldo who met the cross to the delight of the fans who had been cheering his every move in the game so far.
Buoyed by the two goal lead, the English champions started the second half well and could have taken the lead when a determined run from Nani almost created a golden opportunity for Giggs, but his cross was cleared. Minutes later, Paul Scholes saw a shot blocked with no signs of United resting on their advantage.

Tevez had the ball in the net in the 50th minute after a delightful through ball from Evra, but he was adjudged to be in an offside position. Osaka then had a great opportunity when Endo's free-kick was superbly palmed away by van der Sar and Bando blazed the loose ball over.

Four goals in five minutes is an unusual occurrence at a FIFA tournament, but that is what happened between the 74th and 79th minutes. First Masato Yamazaki got on the end of a good move from Osaka and curled the ball past Van der Sar and into the net from 20 yards.

United replied instantly when substitutes Rooney and Darren Fletcher combined to good effect. Fletcher threaded a defence-splitting pass which the striker latched on to, before clipping the ball home. Then Van der Sar spilled an Endo shot which almost fell into the path of Hideo Hashimoto, before Gary Neville made a desperate clearance.

The fourth came when Evra put in a fine cross for Fletcher to head home and another United goal followed a minute later when Rooney produced a wonderful finish.

Osaka grabbed two consolations in the final minutes. The first came when Endo converted a penalty following Neville's handball in the box and in injury time Hashimoto scored arguably the goal of the night when he fired a thunderbolt past Van der Sar from the right hand side of the box.

Sir Alex Ferguson must now prepare his side for a final showdown with Liga de Quito on Sunday, while Osaka will now meet Pachuca in the match for third place. - from FIFA News

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C Ronaldo BEST PLAYER

FULLNAME: Cristiano Ronaldo
NICKNAME: CR
DATE OF BIRTH: 1985
PLACE OF BIRTH: PORTUGAL
HEIGHT:
POSITION: Right/Left Winger & Forward
CLUB: Manchester United
NUMBER: 7
PROCLUBS: Sporting CP, Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo was born in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal to his mother Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro and his father José Dinis Aveiro. He grew up with a brother, Hugo, and two sisters, Elma and Katia. His second name ("Ronaldo") is relatively rare in Portugal. His parents named him after former US president Ronald Reagan because he was his father's favourite actor, and not for political reasons.

Early career

Ronaldo first began kicking a football when he was three, and when he started primary school at age six, his passion for the sport was obvious. His favourite boyhood team was SL Benfica even though he would later join their rival, Sporting CP. He first played for an amateur team, Andorinha, where his father was the kit man, when he was just eight years old. By 1995, at just ten years of age, Cristiano Ronaldo's reputation was growing in Portugal. Madeira's top two teams, CS Marítimo and CD Nacional were both interested in signing him. Marítimo, the bigger team, missed a crucial meeting with Rui Santos manager of Andorinha, and as a result Ronaldo signed for Nacional. After a title-winning campaign at Nacional, Ronaldo went on a three day trial with Sporting Lisbon who subsequently signed him for an undisclosed sum.

Manchester United

Ferguson decided that he wanted the youngster for his team, who were in the market for a right-sided midfielder with the departure of David Beckham to Real Madrid; Cristiano was signed for a fee of £12.24 million. He made his debut for Manchester United as a 60th minute substitute against Bolton Wanderers at Old Trafford. United were then 1-0 up but with just minutes on the pitch, Ronaldo won a penalty which Ruud van Nistelrooy duly converted. The match ended in a 4-0 win to Manchester United and Ronaldo's contributions were hyped everywhere, with certain British tabloids running headlines such as Seven Heaven. He has played primarily as a winger for United and can play on either wing.

However for all his skill and pace, Ronaldo supposedly did not want the pressure of living up to expectations with this number, and so initially asked for the number 28 which he wore at Sporting.[3] Preferring a free role, he has often been accused of being selfish.[citation needed] A row between him and Ruud van Nistelrooy at the Carrington training ground intensified speculation about their roles at the club.[4] Ferguson has however put his faith with Ronaldo, who signed a new deal with United that will last through 2010. Ronaldo is also quoted in the Manchester Evening News as saying "United have stood by me and been there for me and I want to repay that.

Ronaldo has often had problems with his temper during games, he was sent off in a game against Manchester City and received a one-match ban imposed by UEFA for a "one-fingered gesture" towards Benfica fans in a UEFA Champions League match in December 2005.[6] While playing for Portugal in a friendly against Luxembourg he was given a yellow card for pushing Jeff Strasser in the throat in retaliation after Strasser tackled him. Felipe Scolari warned Ronaldo to keep his temper in check during the World Cup.


On the 29 October 2005 Ronaldo scored Manchester United's 1000th Premiership goal, in a 4–1 loss at the hands of Middlesbrough. He bagged a double double in February, with two goals at home to Fulham and another pair at Fratton Park, and also scored in the following Premiership game against Wigan taking his tally to 8 Premiership goals. On 26 February 2006, Ronaldo played in the Carling Cup Final against Wigan in the Millennium Stadium at Cardiff, and scored a goal - taking his season's tally to 10 goals.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Ronny's on top of the world

In an exclusive interview with ManUtd.com and MUTV, Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates winning the Ballon d'Or and insists there's much more to come...

Congratulations Cristiano. How does it feel to have won the award and become only the fourth United player ever to do so?
It feels amazing. It’s the award I always dreamt of winning when I was a kid and I feel very proud and very happy. I have to say a big thank you to my team-mates and everyone at the club who has helped me win the award – it has such a great history and it is the great players who win it so it’s magnificent to be alongside them. It’s amazing that only three players in the club’s history before me have won it. I didn’t know that until yesterday. So it’s special for the club and obviously for me and I feel very proud to be part of the history of the Ballon d’Or and the history of this club. You work hard to win team awards and personal awards, but, for me, to win this one is very special.

Ronny's on top of the world

Every award has a different history, but this one is one of the best. When I became a professional footballer I always believed I had the chance to win it one day and to do that makes me feel very good. But team awards are very important to me as well. I’m at a great club where I have the opportunity to win team and personal awards and to be remembered as a great player you have to win things with your team, not just individual awards.

Will winning this award put even more pressure on you?
I always play with pressure because people always expect a lot from me and I don’t think that will change. Winning this award makes me feel very happy inside because it’s one of the best days of my life. But my responsibilities are still the same: I want to continue to play well for my club and my country and try to do as well as last season.

You always say you want to improve. How do you do that, when you're already considered the best in the world?
Of course I can improve – there are many things I still need to learn.
You can never let yourself think you know everything. I am still very ambitious and I will continue to work very hard every day. I know it will be very hard to better last season, but I will try – if you don’t try you win nothing. A new season means a new challenge and I want to help the team win more trophies.


Cristiano Ronaldo has just about exhausted all superlatives, except to say that having developed and matured from a young and inexperienced winger when he joined from Sporting Lisbon in 2003, he's now among the best and most dynamic attacking forces in the world.

Signed as a largely unknown 18-year-old for £12.24m, the story goes that Sir Alex was persuaded to sign him by his players on the plane home from a pre-season friendly against Sporting that summer. In truth, the boss had long been aware of his ability. The urgency to sign him stemmed from interest from other top European clubs. This was a target Sir Alex simplycouldn’t let slip through the net.

Ronaldo wasted little time in showing off his sublime skills with a stunning 30-minute debut against Bolton at Old Trafford in August 2003. After 39 appearances and eight goals – including the opener in the FA Cup final win over Millwall – he was named the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year for 2003/04. His second season never quite lived up to his first. But some late season form saw him end the 2004/05 campaign with nine goals in 50 appearances. In 2005/06 Ronny again reserved his best form for the latter half of the season. Then came the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany, a trulydefining moment. In the quarter finals against England, Cristiano was blamed for Wayne Rooney’s sending off, the scapegoat for England’s exit. Some wondered if he would even return to Manchester. But Sir Alex’s calming words assured him. After all, it’d happened before with Eric Cantona in 1995 and David Beckham in 1998. The best players respond to adversity, and he did just that.

United’s title success in 2006/2007 was undoubtedly a team effort, but one player was central to almost every major plotline. It began with the barnstorming 5-1 win over Fulham – Ronaldo and Rooney running the show and very publicly rubbishingclaims the two were at odds. Dazzling wing-play was backed with regular assists and crucial goals, including seven in five games over Christmas.

His form in the 2006/2007 season brought Ronaldo 14 individual awards and, despite interest from other clubs, he extended his contract until 2012. The winger's performances also earned him third place in the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year. Ronaldo somehow continues to improve and in 2007/2008, he scored his first United hat-trick and his 50th league goal for the club in a 6-0 romp over Newcastle on the way to netting a staggering 42 goals.

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POWER PLAY

MILAN, Italy (AP) - Inter Milan extended its lead in Serie A on Sunday after Ivan Cordoba and Sulley Muntari scored first-half goals in a 2-1 victory over Napoli.

Serie A on FSC






Sat., Dec. 6, 2.30 p.m. (LIVE) -
Lazio vs. Inter Milan
Sat., Dec. 6, 4.30 p.m. -
Chievo vs. AS Roma
Sun., Dec. 7, 9 a.m. (LIVE) -
AC Milan vs. Catania
Sun., Dec. 7, 2.30 p.m. (LIVE) -
Sampdoria vs. Genoa




Cordoba scored his second goal of the year in the 16th minute to put Inter in front. Muntari also got his second tally of the season to make it 2-0 in the 25th, after also scoring last week against Juventus.

Ezequiel Lavezzi responded in the 36th for Napoli, which has lost its last three road games.

"We wanted to draw this game and we almost got there," Napoli coach Edoardo Reja said. "The team is playing good football and I'm satisfied with our performance. It's clear that sometimes we can give more, but to lose in Milan against Inter is acceptable."

Inter moved to 33 points, six more than AC Milan and Juventus, which defeated Reggina on Saturday. Napoli is fourth with 24 points.

"I'm very happy with the 33 points we have after 14 games," Inter coach Jose Mourinho said. "We are not scoring three, four or five goals a game, but we are scoring enough to win. Points are points and we are playing with intelligence and have good balance, these are things that define a great group that plays well together."


Palermo, which had only one victory in its previous seven games, got goals in the second half from Fabrizio Miccoli, Edison Cavani and Fabio Simplicio to defeat AC Milan 3-1.

Miccoli scored his seventh of the year in the 50th after having forced Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati to make several diving saves in the first half. Cavani doubled the lead nine minutes later on a sharply angled header that barely eluded the outstretched Abbiati. Simplicio made it 3-0 in the 80th.

Milan striker Alexandre Pato left the game after 25 minutes with an injury sustained when Palermo 'keeper Marco Amelia took him down just inside the area. Amelia then stopped Ronaldinho's penalty kick.

A few minutes later, Ronaldinho almost redeemed himself, but his free kick bounced off the crossbar. The Brazil striker got another chance in the 83rd, earning and then converting a penalty.

Filippo Inzaghi came on for Pato, but was unable to bring Milan back into the game. After scoring 10 goals last year, Inzaghi has seen little playing time this season and has just two goals.

In Rome, Francesco Totti scored in the 59th to give AS Roma a 1-0 victory over Fiorentina. After falling to one point clear of relegation, Roma is moving toward the middle of the standings after three straight wins. Totti also hit the post during the game, and Julio Baptista came close to doubling the score for Roma, hitting the crossbar late in the second half.

Totti has scored in Roma's last three games, including a 3-1 victory over CFR Cluj in the Champions League, and has seemingly overcome injuries that sidelined him at the end of last season and hampered him earlier in this campaign.

Roma, which fought with Inter for the championship up to the last game of last season, has 17 points with a game in hand.

"Right now all we can do is try to make our way up the table," Roma coach Luciano Spalletti said. "We are still very far behind. Every win from now on will serve to move us up the table, while previously the wins were good for restoring team confidence."

After six wins at home so far this year, Genoa managed only a 1-1 draw at its stadium against relegation-zone Bologna. Genoa's Diego Milito, who leads Serie A with 11 goals, missed a good chance in injury time.

Also Sunday, it was: Atalanta 2, Lazio 0; Cagliari 1, Sampdoria 0; Siena 1, Torino 0; and Udinese 0 Chievo Verona 1.

Zlatan unimpressed by Drogba link

Inter Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic has dismissed reports linking Didier Drogba to the San Siro by claiming the Chelsea ace is "not needed".

Drogba has been heavily linked with a move to join his old boss Jose Mourinho at Inter since the Italian media claimed the Ivory Coast star had held a meeting with Mourinho's agent Jorge Mendes earlier this week.

Mourinho has already denied any knowledge of the alleged meeting, and Inter president Massimo Moratti has also told the Italian press his side do not need any more strikers.

Now Ibrahimovic too insists between him and Brazilian forward Adriano the Nerazzurri have more than enough firepower to defend their Scudetto.


"He (Drogba) is a great player, one that thanks to his physical strength scores so many goals," the Sweden international told Corriere dello Sport.

"But when it comes to great strikers we already have plenty. Adriano for example can make a massive difference if he's fit. I really enjoy playing alongside him and he creates a lot of space for me."

Ibrahimovic has been nominated alongside Drogba as one of the 30 players shortlisted to win the Ballon d'Or this season.
However, the 27-year-old admitted he has his eyes on a different prize.

"If I could choose between winning the Ballon d'Or and the Champions League then there's no doubt in my mind that I'd want the Champions League," he said.

As for who he believes will win the France Football award, he added: "Cristiano Ronaldo because he did so well in the Champions League, but if we take Euro 2008 into account then (Spain and Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker) Casillas deserves it."

photos by oleole.com

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