The Best Cristiano Ronaldo Shirts at Manchester United from 2003 to 2009
The best Manchester United shirts Cristiano Ronaldo wore from 2003 to 2009, from a nervous debut in Beckham's old number to two of the best individual seasons English football has seen.
Manchester United signed an 18 year old winger from Sporting CP for £12.24m in August 2003, six days after he ran rings around United's defence in a pre season friendly. By the time he left for Real Madrid in the summer of 2009, he was the best footballer in the world. First11 has Ronaldo shirts from all six of his Manchester United seasons, from raw talent to Ballon d'Or winner.
How a friendly in Lisbon brought Ronaldo to Old Trafford
On 6 August 2003, Sporting CP played Manchester United at Lisbon's Estádio José Alvalade, in the opening game at Sporting's new stadium. Sporting won 3-1, but the result mattered far less than what United's players saw from an 18 year old Sporting winger who ran rings around their defence all night.
Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs later said the United squad spent the coach ride home urging Sir Alex Ferguson to sign him on the spot. Six days later, on 12 August 2003, United paid Sporting £12.24m for Cristiano Ronaldo, then handed him the number 7 shirt that David Beckham had just left behind when he joined Real Madrid. That was a huge ask for an unproven teenager, and it took him almost two seasons to grow into the shirt.
Why Ronaldo's long sleeve shirts are the hardest to find
Ronaldo wore long sleeves for almost his entire time at Manchester United, whatever the weather or the season. It became as much a part of his look as the stepovers, but long sleeve shirts were never big sellers in club shops at the time. Most fans bought the standard short sleeve version, so far fewer long sleeve shirts were ever made in the first place.
Twenty years later, that long sleeve cut is exactly what collectors are chasing now, which makes an original long sleeve Ronaldo United shirt from this era one of the harder pieces to track down in good condition.
1. Manchester United Home Shirt 2002/04
Red with black shoulder panels and a black-trimmed collar, the Vodafone sponsor across the chest and a white Nike swoosh. This was the template Ronaldo wore for his debut, coming on as a substitute against Bolton Wanderers on 16 August 2003, four days after his transfer from Sporting CP went through. He set up a goal and won a penalty in a Man of the Match performance, in a shirt nobody had seen him wear before that afternoon.
2. Manchester United Home Shirt 2004/06
The same red base, now with white and black pointed panels across the shoulders and a bigger white Nike swoosh. Ronaldo wore this through the 2004/05 season, the one where he stopped being simply exciting and started being genuinely feared: a second-half brace away at reigning champions Arsenal in a 4-2 comeback win, top scorer in United's run to that year's FA Cup final, and runner-up for the Golden Boy award as Europe's best young player, beaten only by his own teammate Wayne Rooney.
3. Manchester United Away Shirt 2005/06
Blue with a red V-neck collar and red sleeve cuffs, the Vodafone sponsor printed in white. It was Nike's second Total 90 design and the first time United had worn blue away since 2002/03. Ronaldo wore it through a season that ended with a League Cup final win over Wigan Athletic, 4-0 at the Millennium Stadium, with Ronaldo among the scorers.
4. Manchester United Home Shirt 2006/07
Red with white and gold trim on the collar, cuffs and side seams, and the AIG sponsor replacing Vodafone for the first time. Ronaldo wore this through the 2006/07 season, his breakout year: 23 goals in all competitions, 17 of them in the Premier League, and United's first Premier League title since 2003. It was also the season he became the first player to win the PFA Players', PFA Young Player, PFA Fans' and FWA Footballer of the Year awards all in one year, a clean sweep no one had managed before him.
5. Manchester United Home Shirt 2007/09
A cleaner version of the AIG template, plain red with white trim and a small "The Red Devils" tag at the hem. This covers the 2007/08 season, which stands as peak Ronaldo at United: 42 goals in all competitions, the Ballon d'Or, a Champions League final win over Chelsea in Moscow, and a second straight Premier League title. It also covers one of his most replayed goals for the club, a thunderous strike from around 30 yards in open play against Portsmouth at Old Trafford on 30 January 2008, one of two he scored that night in a 2-0 win, that goalkeepers still study.
6. Manchester United Away Shirt 2007/08
Black with red piping across the shoulders and collar, and the AIG sponsor in white. This is one of the most recognisable away shirts United have ever worn, and one of the most copied: the black and red combination has been reissued and reproduced more than almost any other United template from this era. Ronaldo wore it throughout the treble-chasing 2007/08 season, United's first Champions League winning campaign since 1999.
7. Manchester United Third Shirt 2008/09
Blue, with an AIG sponsor and a special crest marking "40th Anniversary, May 29th 1968", the date United won their first European Cup. Ronaldo wore this in United's 2008/09 Champions League run, including the semi-final second leg away at Arsenal on 5 May 2009, where he scored a rocketing 40-yard free kick that goalkeeper Manuel Almunia barely saw. It was one of his last great moments in a United shirt: that summer, he left for Real Madrid in a deal that was a world record fee at the time.
Which Ronaldo Shirt Is Your Favourite?
Cristiano Ronaldo wore some really special shirts during his time at Manchester United. Which one is the best for you can depend on a lot of things: trophies won, colours, the goals scored while wearing it, teammates, or just the overall look. From the iconic red home shirt to some amazing away kits, there's a lot to choose from.
The one thing I can say for sure is that Ronaldo was an absolute legend at Manchester United. Maybe you still remember some of these shirts, and they bring back extra special memories for you. Those kinds of memories are what really bring a shirt to life.
At the end of the day, go with whatever feels right to you. Just make sure you're buying from a trusted seller like First11, where every shirt is 100% authentic.
The number 7
David Beckham had worn the number 7 for six years. Ferguson gave it to an 18 year old who had never started a Premier League match. Six years later, Ronaldo left for Real Madrid as the best player in the world.
Common Questions
Why did Ronaldo wear the number 7 at Manchester United?
The number 7 became vacant when David Beckham left for Real Madrid the same summer Ronaldo signed. Sir Alex Ferguson handed it straight to the 18 year old, a decision that put a lot of early pressure on him before he had played a single Premier League match.
Which season was Ronaldo's best at Manchester United?
2007/08 is the widely accepted answer: 42 goals in all competitions, the Ballon d'Or, the Champions League title and back to back Premier League titles.
Why are Ronaldo's long sleeve United shirts harder to find?
Long sleeve shirts sold in much smaller numbers than short sleeve versions at the time, since most fans bought the standard cut. Fewer were made in the first place, so original long sleeve pieces from this era are scarcer today than the short sleeve versions.
Do you ship these shirts outside the Netherlands?
Yes, we ship across Europe and beyond from our showroom in Almelo.