Cristiano Ronaldo has been named Manchester United’s Matt Busby Player of the Year for a record-equalling fourth time.
The forward won the award on three occasions during his first spell at the club, and became just the second player in club history to win it for a fourth time following a great first season back at Old Trafford. Ronaldo joins De Gea as the only players to have won the award four times – with the goalkeeper coming second in voting this season.
Ronaldo is undoubtedly a deserving winner of the award – voted by fans on the club’s official website – due to his goal contributions throughout the 2021/22 season. While the Red Devils struggled on the whole, finishing sixth in the Premier League, CR7 continued to score goals at a remarkable rate.
The Man Utd star bagged 24 goals in all competitions, with 18 of those coming in the Premier League alone. His most memorable performance of the campaign came against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford – a game in which he scored a remarkable match-winning hat trick.
CR7 recently stated that he is staying at Man Utd this summer despite the lack of Champions League football next season, and also urged fans to give new manager Erik ten Hag the time he needs:
“I know he did a fantastic job for Ajax and that he’s an experienced coach but we need to give him time and things need to change the way he wants,” Ronaldo said.
“I hope we have success of course because if you have success all of Manchester are going to have success as well. So I wish him the best.
“We are happy and excited, not only the players but the supporters as well. I wish him the best and let’s believe that next year we’re going to win trophies.
Listen now to 90min’s Manchester United podcast, The Promised Land, with Scott Saunders &vRob Blanchette. On this week’s show they discuss reports linking Ruben Neves, Frenkie de Jong & Robert Lewandowski with moves to Manchester United. The guys also chat about Andy O’Boyle’s return to the club.
“I was happy of course, to be back in a club that really raised my career so it was unbelievable, the feeling when I came back again, it was nice to feel the supporters, the happiness of them was great. I was and still am very happy to be here.
“And what I have to say to the fans is they are amazing even when you lost games they always support us, they always are with us, the supporters are always in my heart and it’s the people that we all should respect because they are always on our side.
“For me, the most important thing is to try to win the games and try to win some championship or some cup but I believe that Manchester will be where they belong.
“As I say before, sometimes it takes time but I still believe.”
