Real Madrid's new Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo walks onto the stage during his presentation ceremony at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, July 6, 2009. [Agencies]
MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo received a rapturous welcome from 80,000 Real Madrid fans Monday, an outpouring so exuberant the soccer star had to be hustled away when spectators leaped barriers and took the field.
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Real Madrid's new Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo walks onto the stage during his presentation ceremony at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, July 6, 2009. [Agencies] |
A beaming Ronaldo came out to the capacity Santiago Bernabeu crowd wearing the same No. 9 jersey as Madrid great Alfredo di Stefano wore.
"I'm very happy to be here. I've achieved one of my dreams," Ronaldo, who agreed to a six-year deal, said. "I want this to begin as quickly as possible so that I can show what I can do."
Fans had queued outside the Bernabeu from the early morning to catch a glimpse of the 24-year-old, who completed a lap of honor to salute fans after performing a few juggling tricks.
Ronaldo was eventually chased from the field as security failed to contain the crowd, with a few dozen fans jumping the barrier in search of an autograph. One fan managed to evade security to reach the stage and hug Ronaldo, who signed the young man's Madrid shirt.
"I never would have imagined that fans would have such a feeling for me," Ronaldo said. "It was impressive. A special moment for me, today."
Only Diego Maradona's presentation at Napoli 25 years ago has rivaled Ronaldo's in terms of the crowds it attracted. Last week, 50,000 greeted Kaka at the Bernabeu.
"Today, we present the greatest symbolism of Real Madrid," said Perez, who joined Ronaldo onstage alongside Portugal great Eusebio, Di Stefano, Perez and Madrid's record nine European Cups.
Ronaldo scored 120 goals from 313 appearances in all competitions at Man United, where he arrived in 2003 from Portuguese club Sporting. Ronaldo left Old Trafford having won the Champions League, three Premier League titles, the FA Cup and the Club World Cup in six seasons.
"All people understand my decision and respect that," Ronaldo said. "It was my dream to play in Madrid. But that's life. This is my new house and I'm going to give 100 percent for this club."
Ronaldo said there were no problems between him and Man United manager Alex Ferguson, who sold Beckham to Madrid when he felt the England midfielder's celebrity status had become a distraction.
"My relation with Ferguson was very good and will always be very good," he said. "They are also happy, so life has to go on."
Perez has vowed to return the "galactico" era to Madrid after initiating the original one from 2000-06 with the blockbuster signings of Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Luis Figo and Ronaldo, who was the last impact player to wear the No. 9 jersey.
Perez has splashed out 214 million euros ($300 million) on new players this summer in a bid to turn the page on a season that was marred by former president Ramon Calderon's resignation over a vote-rigging scandal and in which Madrid was eclipsed by arch rival Barcelona.
Madrid failed to get past the first knockout stage of Europe's top-tier competition for the fifth straight season and lost the league to Barcelona, which also won the Champions League and Copa del Rey to become the first Spanish club to win the treble.
Asked if Real could now win the treble, Ronaldo said: "If we win only the Champions League I'm happy... we need to take it step-by-step and later we can think about winning it (the treble)."