On the occasion of the tenth anniversary since Cristiano Ronaldo made his professional debut, the Portugal manager Paulo Bento stated that he hadn't anticipated the Real Madrid winger becoming such a superstar figure. "A few years back we saw he was a major talent, but perhaps we never expected that he would become what he is now, for him to have such a big role for the clubs he's played for and his country", Bento claimed ahead of the friendly between Portugal and Panama.
Bento, who was there to see Ronaldo make his bow in the flesh on 14th August 2002, as both played for Sporting Lisbon at the time, described the Madeira-born star's progress as "extraordinary".
Ronaldo spent one full season at Sporting before moving on to Manchester United and Real Madrid. In total he has won nine personal awards, 14 pieces of silverware with his clubs and scored 309 competitive goals. Notable accolades include one Ballon d’Or (2008), two European Golden Shoes (2008 and 2011), four English league trophies (2003, 2007, 2008 and 2009), a Spanish league (2012) and a Champions League (2008).
Ronaldo, 27, is back in training with his national squad after recovering from a knock and will be fit for the fixture in Faro, in the south of Portugal.
