21.12.08

MAN UTD 1 - LDU QUITO 0

Ten man United clinched the world title in Japan. A second-half strike from Wayne Rooney handed Manchester United a deserved 1-0 victory over LDU Quito in the Fifa Club World Cup Final at the Yokohama Stadium. The UEFA Champions League holders dominated the first half but were unable to break the deadlock as goalkeeper Jose Cevallos was called into action on several occasions.

The Red Devils were dealt a setback four minutes after the interval when centre-back Nemanja Vidic was handed a straight red card by referee Ravshan Irmatov for catching Claudio Bieler with his elbow. South American club champions LDU Quito began to make their numerical advantage pay but they were undone on 73 minutes as Rooney smashed home the winner after he was teed up by Cristiano Ronaldo.

19.12.08

GAMBA OSAKA 3 - MAN UTD 5

Two goals from Wayne Rooney after a late introduction send Manchester United to the Club World Cup final meeting with LDU Quito on Sunday. Earlier, United had already established superiority over Gamba Osaka thanks to first-half headers from Nemanja Vidic and Cristiano Ronaldo. Rooney's arrival led to a frenzied spell of six goals in 18 minutes, the England man netting either side of a Darren Fletcher effort as the Red Devils kept spirited Gamba resistance at bay. Gamba Osaka responded with Masato Yamazaki effort after the first 2 goals, but Rooney and Fletcher buried them further. The Japanese side tried another comeback with goals from Yasuhito Endo and Hideo Hashimoto, but time has really ran out of them.

13.12.08

FIFA WORLD PLAYER OF THE YEAR SHORTLIST

 
Cristiano Ronaldo is the favourite again to win another major honour after being included on the shortlist for the FIFA World Player of the Year award. The Red Devil has been nominated alongside Lionel Messi, Xavi, Kaka and Fernando Torres.
 
Ronaldo scored 42 goals and scooped the Premier League title and European Cup with United last season whilst Torres and Xavi won Euro 2008 with Spain.  However, regular contenders Kaka and Messi didn't win any silverware in 2008.
 
The shortlist has been complied after coaches and team captains from around the world were asked to vote for their top choice and it is the first year five players, rather than three, have been named. The winner will be announced at a glitzy gala at the Zurich Opera House on January 12.
 

10.12.08

RONALDO HAPPY AT OLD TRAFFORD

Newly-crowned Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo insists he is loving life at Manchester United and hopes to collect many more awards at Old Trafford.

The Manchester United winger was named as Kaka's successor in the early hours of Tuesday morning and was presented with the trophy in a televised ceremony.

Ronaldo, who was the subject of much speculation this summer over a possible move to Real Madrid, was delighted to finally get his hands on the Ballon d'Or and has vowed to fire his club to more success this season.

6.12.08

RONALDO ALMOST A GUNNERS

Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo was poised to join Arsenal before he accepted an offer to sign for Manchester United in 2003. The winger, recently crowned European Footballer of the Year, has admitted his admiration for Gunners' boss Arsene Wenger and revealed how close he came to becoming part of the squad at the Emirates.
 
However, United's offer of £12.24 million was three times that of Arsenal's, and Sporting Lisbon had no choice but to accept.  Ronaldo said that he met Arsene on three occasions and one of those times was with his mum who wanted to hear what the Gunners' boss was proposing. Since then, Wenger remains someone that he admired and believes that the french manager is a really intelligent football guy.

4.12.08

RONALDO WINS 2008 BALLON d'OR

Cristiano Ronaldo is celebrating ''one of the most beautiful days of my life'' after being award the prestigious Ballon d'Or on Tuesday. The Manchester United and Portugal winger who inspired United to the Champions League and Premier League double this year, was named as the World Player of The Year ahead of Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres.

77 out of 96 top journalists voted Ronaldo as their number one player this year and every one placed him in their top five after he scored 42 goals in United's trophy-laden season. He polled an impressive 446 points from a maximum 480, finishing comfortably ahead of second-placed Messi (281) and third-placed Torres (179).

The 23-year-old becomes the third Portuguese player to lift the famous trophy, after legendary pair Eusebio and Luis Figo. Beside being the first Premier League player since Michael Owen in 2001 to land the award, Ronaldo also becomes the fourth Red Devil to take the gong after Denis Law (1964), Bobby Charlton (1966) and George Best (1968).