The last time a player with a No 7 on his back so compelled the attention during an FA Cup final, the match came to be known by his name. As a competitive spectacle Saturday’s contest between Manchester United and Millwall was not in the same universe as the Stanley Matthews final of 1953. But how glorious it was to watch a right-winger so in love with the game, so inspired by the occasion, so eager to deploy his extraordinary gifts in the service of his team.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the latest in a long line of distinguished wingers to have plied their trade in the red shirt of Old Trafford and by the time he has finished he may well find himself standing shoulder to shoulder with the very greatest. If Saturday’s final was not quite the occasion on which to base such a claim, at least it gave us a hint of what may be to come.
And for neutrals, his contribution certainly lifted the day above the mundane level to which the poverty of Millwall’s resources and the pessimism of their tactical approach seemed to have condemned it.
Like Matthews, Ronaldo is a dribbler. He takes the ball to the defender, lets him sniff it and then whips it away. But, whereas Matthews celebrated his 38th birthday in the February before the 1953 Cup final, Ronaldo was a mere 19 last February.
The great Englishman, who made his league debut at 17, was relying purely on guile and touch and timing by the time he finally picked up his cup winner’s medal. The swiftness and arrogance of youth were the keys to the Portuguese prodigy’s performance.
‘Everyone’s got their ideas about what potential is,†an unusually expansive Sir Alex Ferguson said afterwards, ‘but there’s no question we’ve seen the potential of that player today — better than anything in Europe. To my mind he was the man of the match.â€
Only in the mind of Sven-Goran Eriksson, the FA’s special guest at the Millennium stadium, did Ronaldo not deserve the award. Instead the England coach chose Ruud van Nistelrooy, much to the United manager’s surprise.
‘It surprised Ruud, too,†Ferguson said with a chuckle.
Ronaldo gave the match its first touch of distinction in the fifth minute when he received the ball from Roy Keane, advanced towards his marker and, with the whole stadium waiting for him to try a stepover or two, played in an early cross which Van Nistelrooy glanced wide of the near post.
‘With players of great ability, one thing they have to be definite about is their decision-making,†Ferguson observed. ‘If their decision-making’s good, that brings all their talents to the fore. If it’s not good, then there’s no end product.
‘I think you saw that today. The first thing he did was cross the ball. Right away he just clipped it in. Ruud wasn’t expecting it. I didn’t expect it, either. I expected him to attack the full-back. So the variety in his game will be a special part — when to cross, when to pass, when to dribble.â€
Four minutes later Ronaldo produced the moment that suggested he was in for a remarkable afternoon. Chasing the ball to the byline down the inside-right channel, he checked so sharply that his marker, Robbie Ryan, flew past him and across the line like a van with no brakes.
With the ball on his left foot and teammates running into the penalty area, Ronaldo had a split second to decide. Rather than crossing with his his weaker foot, he swung his right boot behind his left leg and clipped in a low cross whose speed and flat trajectory gave the retreating defence little chance. Deflected at the near post, it bounced in front of Paul Scholes, who failed to make contact.
That cross was the sort of unorthodox flourish guaranteed to draw harrumphing disapproval from the former pros in the TV commentary positions. But it was also a flash of marvellously intuitive improvisation, a case of doing whatever it took to
inflict the greatest damage. And in Ronaldo’s mind it clearly involved no risk at all.
His influence on the game was confirmed midway through the first half when Dennis Wise put a hand in his face and was fortunate, not for the last time, to escape official sanction. Ronaldo’s revenge came two minutes before the interval, when he sprinted in front of Wise to head the opening goal from Gary Neville’s cross.
While United strengthened their control in the second half, Ronaldo presented a constant threat. The way his presence on the ball alone engendered panic was strongly reminiscent of George Best — and of the young Ryan Giggs, whose performance on Saturday also drew Ferguson’s praise.
It was Ronaldo, however, who drew the most lyrical plaudits. ‘I’m pleased with his first season,†Ferguson said. ‘If you just take the components — terrific physique, balance, pace, two feet — the potential is there. What we have to do is realise that potential. And there are certain factors that will help his development which have nothing to do with United. He’s got a fantastic personality, great strength of mind, a great purpose about himself, and pride. Those things can take him really far in the game.
‘His temperament is not an issue. When he came at first to our club, there was a bit of the Portuguese thing about him. It took him time to get used to British football. But with every passing week he’s got better and better. I know at the beginning he was accused of diving. We don’t like it in our game but it’s crept in. And Ronaldo’s cut that out. I think he’s developed really well in that respect.â€
When he was withdrawn, five minutes from time, his teammates joined the applause. For a young man whose substance was widely doubted during his early days in England, this was both a marvellous finish to the season and a promise to United’s fans for the next campaign.
And perhaps, thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo, we are seeing the last of that automatic British disdain —which persisted despite the best efforts of Ferenc Puskas, Francisco Gento and Gunter Netzer — for step-overs, drag-backs and that thing that happens when a player hits a cross with his right foot behind his left leg.
Joe Cole and Jay Jay Okocha do it, too. We really will have to think of a name for it. As for Saturday’s match, United’s fans will already have a name for that. —