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As Cristiano Ronaldo prepares to face Sporting in the Champions League, we recall the 2003 friendly against Manchester United in the same stadium. The game that made him… On November 22, Cristiano Ronaldo will return to the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon with Real Madrid. He does so as a three-time Champions League winner, a three-time Ballon dOr winner, and the man who captained his country to glory at Euro 2016.Its been quite the journey. But in a sense, when he sets foot on that turf, the home of his old club Sporting, hes going back to the start. It was Ronaldos extraordinary performance in a friendly to commemorate the inauguration of the stadium that set him on this path. Manchester United were the visitors, fresh from a successful pre-season tour of the United States in which theyd won all of their games - including convincing victories over Celtic, Juventus and Barcelona. And yet, they werent prepared for what awaited them in Lisbon.Ronaldo was ready. Although his Portugal debut was still a fortnight away, his reputation was growing fast. Hed been a visitor to Arsenals London Colney training ground for three days the previous November, having scored twice on his Sporting debut a month earlier.But it was United who really got to see what Ronaldo could do close-up and with a crowd to entertain. Inspired by the chance to impress, the 55,000 in the Alvalade saw the 18-year-old run through his now famous repertoire of stepovers. His quality was immediately apparent. Ronaldo tells the story of the time he dazzled Manchester United Gary Neville was watching at home and recalls being wide-eyed at what he was witnessing. I thought bloody hell, he said. Neville paid particular attention to Ronaldos movement given that he was playing on the left - tormenting the England mans deputy at right-back. Sir Alex Ferguson signed Ronaldo soon after seeing his performance Neville had the easy job. John OShea was the man tasked with marking the teenager. It proved an ordeal as the Irishman was left befuddled by the wingers tricks and helpless to deal with his sheer speed. It could have been anyone but there wasnt much sympathy. Ronaldo agrees new deal Cristiano Ronaldo has agreed a contract extension to remain with Real Madrid until 2021. Ryan Giggs, watching safely from the sidelines, saw the funny side. You see Ronaldo get the ball, and you see him turn John OShea inside out, and youre having a little giggle to yourself, he admitted. OShea returned to the dressing room at half time exhausted.Describing the scene, Rio Ferdinand claimed that OShea was sitting there like he needed some oxygen while captain Roy Keane went further. Sheasy ended up seeing the doctor at half time because he was actually having dizzy spells, he recalled in his autobiography.OShea insists thats a little over the top. Its fair to say theres exaggerations in peoples autobiographies from time to time, he told talkSPORT. While he did give me a roasting, there wasnt too many dizzy spells. There was a bit of jetlag, but there was no dizzy spells. Ronaldos display at the Estadio Jose Alvalade wowed his future team-mates Even so, Sir Alex Ferguson put OShea out of his misery early in the second half after seeing Ronaldo cut through the United defence one time too many. With help from Mikael Silvestre, Fabien Barthez kept that one out, just as hed parried a first-half effort clear.Indeed, perhaps the only surprise was that Ronaldo failed to get on the scoresheet. It was Luis Filipe who gave Sporting the lead before star forward Joao Pinto added two more goals. But there was no question who the United players were talking about afterwards. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. He just lit up the game, said Giggs. All the lads were talking to him after the game and I remember we were waiting on the coach and everybody was wondering what we were waiting for. And then we just got a little whisper that the deal was being done.When the signing was announced, Ferguson stressed it was no rush move even if other clubs had forced United to act earlier than planned. Weve been negotiating for Cristiano for quite some time, he explained. Sporting honoured our agreement of months ago.Still, the reaction of his players had been noted. The lads in the dressing room talked about him constantly, said Ferguson, and on the plane back they urged me to sign him - thats how highly they rated him. He is one of the most exciting young players Ive ever seen. Ballon dOr explainer With FIFA launching their own award, we explain the latest on the Ballon dOr. According to Keane, the players would later joke that Sheasy actually sealed the deal by playing like a clown - not that he didnt have a good comeback. Look, everyone should be happy he came to United a year earlier because of it, said OShea.Ronaldo has made many trips back to the Alvalade since, most notably scoring in a Euro 2004 semi-final win over Netherlands and getting the only goal of the game on his Champions League return to the stadium as a Manchester United player in 2007.But when he lines up with Real Madrid later this month, perhaps its his first game in the stadium - the first game in the stadium - that will loom largest in his thoughts. The game in which he won over his team-mates-to-be and gave a hint of the brilliance that was to follow.Watch #CR7Live on Wednesday at 1pm on SkySports.com, Sky Sports Facebook page and on the Soccer AM You Tube Channel. Also See: Ronaldo agrees new deal Ballon dOr explainer Daniel Norris Jersey . Beanballs were the theme Friday night as the Red Sox and Rays had another AL East rumble, with Boston earning a 3-2 victory on A. Denny McLain Jersey . Nix is a career .218 hitter in 425 games over six seasons. The 31-year-old right-handed hitter batted .270 with a homer this spring for Tampa Bay. http://www.cheaptigersjerseys.com/?tag=c...mccann-jersey.Y. - Carey Price had an early feeling that one goal might be enough to settle the latest matchup between his Montreal Canadiens and longtime Original Six foe, the New York Rangers. Cheap Tigers Jerseys . DeGrom outpitched Jake Peavy in a tantalizing hitless duel that carried into the seventh inning Saturday night before the New York Mets broke loose and beat the San Francisco Giants 4-2. Cheap MLB Jerseys . PETERSBURG, Fla.Brooklyn, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - SirDominic Pointer posted career highs of 24 points and seven steals to lead No. 17 St. Johns to an 82-57 rout of Tulane at Barclays Center. The Red Storm (11-1) built a 47-22 halftime lead and forced 17 turnovers in moving to 11-1, the programs best 12-game start since the 1985-86 season. DAngelo Harrison contributed 21 points and Rysheed Jordan had 12 in St. Johns seventh straight victory since a loss to No. 8 Gonzaga on Nov. 28. Jonathan Stark paced Tulane (9-3) with 15 points and Louis Dabney finished with 12 in the loss, the Green Waves second this week to a ranked opponent.dddddddddddd. Tulane was coming off a 66-57 setback at No. 13 Washington on Monday. Final Score: (23) Northern Iowa 74, South Dakota State 63 Cedar Falls, IA (SportsNetwork.com) - Nate Buss had 14 points, Wes Washpun scored 12 and No. 23 Northern Iowa posted a 74-63 win over South Dakota State on Sunday. Seth Tuttle finished with 11 points and a career-high nine assists for the Panthers (11-1), who extended their home winning streak to nine games. George Marshall led South Dakota State (9-5) with 16 points, followed by Deondre Parks with 15. ' ' '