Legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo and Sir Alex Ferguson were reunited ahead of Manchester United's Premier League clash with Newcastle on Sunday, as the Portuguese superstar was presented with a special award from his old boss.
Legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo and iconic Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson reunited on Sunday ahead of the Red Devils' Premier League clash against Newcastle at Old Trafford. Although the game ended in a goalless draw, the club's supporters would have relished seeing the two club icons embracing each other and sharing a moment of joy.
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The Portuguese talisman, who notched his 700th club career goal last weekend, became the first male player to reach the landmark milestone. To commemorate the 37-year-old's feat, Ferguson presented Ronaldo with a special award before the game's kick-off. The iconic striker scored the historic goal in the 2-1 Premier League win against Everton at Goodison Park last Sunday – bringing his total for Manchester United to 144.
In front of a packed Theatre of Dreams, fans witnessed an iconic moment when the legendary ex-manager of Manchester United stood alongside Ronaldo to hand his former prodigy a silver plate as goalkeeper David de Gea too received a special gift from Ferguson. The Spaniard on Sunday became the first player from outside the UK and Ireland to make more than 500 appearances for United.
Ronaldo took to social media to send a heartwarming message to Ferguson following this momentous occasion. "Always good to be with you boss!" wrote the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, along with a couple of photos from the reunion. "Two goats," noted most Ronaldo fans in the comment section as they cherished the iconic striker's note to the legendary manager.
During Sunday's clash against Newcastle, Ronaldo was denied a goal after being flagged offside early in the second period of the 0-0 draw. The resulting free-kick, however, would become the subject of much controversy. The Portuguese superstar thought the set piece had been taken when Newcastle defender Fabian Schar sent the ball back to goalkeeper Nick Pope. The United legend assumed the ball was in play and stole it from under Pope's watch, and kicked it into an open goal. However, the star striker's joy was short-lived when referee Craig Pawson blew his whistle.
The decision by the referee that Schar had touched the ball back to Pope to allow for the free-kick was a huge reprieve for the visitors. Since then, a viral video from Old Trafford stands had made it quite evident that Pawson blew his whistle before Schar touched the ball. Ronaldo received a booking for his angry outbursts after the effort was ruled useless. It's clear from the video below why he was so irritated.
WATCH: Video of the drama around Ronaldo's goal at Old Trafford