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Cristiano Ronaldo is part of Manchester United folklore. The Portuguese’s rise to glory at Old Trafford signifies everything good about the Red Devils. It talks of their ability to spot the best young talents in the game and an acknowledgement of the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson’s ability to nurture a raw gem into a world-class talent.
It is a story about a young boy turning into a man and then conquering the world. Cristiano Ronaldo is the golden boy of Manchester United; he is the pride of the ardent fans willing to defend his image with their lives. But the Portuguese’s tryst with the Red Devils is also a story of a heartbreaking farewell.
United fans are all too familiar of the pain of watching their best player leave for the lure of the Santiago Bernabeu. It was the end of a beautiful tale that delivered so much, and could have yielded so much more. Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure left a void at Old Trafford, and the fabled No. 7 shirt proved heavy on too many shoulders.
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But there was a charm in the ache. The Portuguese had left the Red Devils to fulfil a dream, but he was always one of them. Perhaps that is why Manchester United fans still chant his name through games. Perhaps that is why their allegiance to him is unflinching, unapologetic and unwavering. Ronaldo might not be United-born, but he was certainly United-bred.
However, it is this notion of loyalty that has been shattered by Cristiano Ronaldo’s apparent desire to join Manchester City. Sky Sports reports that the Portuguese is ready to move to the Etihad. His decision to do so would end the love and adulation of the Manchester United faithful, perhaps signifying that loyalty in football is a rapidly diminishing trait.
Cristiano Ronaldo in danger of losing his cult status at Manchester United
The Portuguese has previously graced Old Trafford in the colours of Real Madrid and Juventus, but the love from the club faithful remained. The situation that could unfold now is unimaginable – Cristiano Ronaldo arriving at the Theater of Dreams, not in the vibrant red jersey of Manchester United, but in the blue of Manchester City.
The Portuguese will not be the first player to cross the fierce line of divide that separates rival clubs, and he certainly won’t be the last. But the move could see him spoken of in the same breath as his one-time partner Carlos Tevez, a long-forgotten man. What is there to win with City that Ronaldo hasn’t already won with Manchester United?
While it is difficult to imagine a pig’s head on the Old Trafford turf awaiting Ronaldo, there is likely to be much anger, resentment and frustration. But more than anything, there will be an aura of sadness. It will be a fall from grace for the little boy who turned into a man in the red half of Manchester. It could cost the now 36-year-old his cult status at Manchester United.
From a near god, Cristiano Ronaldo could see his legacy at Manchester United go up in flames with one decision. That begs one to ask - is a move to the Etihad worth it?
