Former Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo revealed that it was Sir Alex Ferguson who has persuaded him to join the club after his impressive display against them in a friendly with Sporting Lisbon.

Ronaldo has played six seasons at Old Trafford and has become a club legend before leaving to Real Madrid in 2009 for a world record fee.

“The first game that I played against Manchester United was an unbelievable game,” he told Sky Sports. “It was the perfect night, the perfect night.

“After the game some of my teammates said: ‘Listen, you’re going to go to Manchester, trust me!’

“Sir Alex Ferguson was there, and [they said] he wants to speak with you. I go to the dressing room, he introduced me to the players. For me, I was a little bit shy. And Sir Alex Ferguson said to me: ‘Listen, I want you now.’

“Everything came so fast, and two days after I speak to the coach and they take me to England, and I was in Manchester, and I signed.”