What jersey number did Ronaldo wear during his first stint at Manchester United? Cristiano Ronaldo wore jersey number 7 during his first Manchester United stint.
He joined United from Sporting CP in August 2003 and initially asked for number 28, the shirt he had worn in Portugal. Manager Alex Ferguson instead gave him the famous number 7, which had recently been vacated by David Beckham after Beckham moved to Real Madrid.
The number carried enormous history at Manchester United. Earlier holders included George Best, Eric Cantona and Bryan Robson, so Ronaldo's assignment was viewed as a sign of the club's expectations. He gradually turned it into one of football's most recognizable shirt numbers.
Ronaldo wore number 7 from 2003 until his 2009 transfer to Real Madrid. His number 28 at Sporting is the main source of confusion, while number 9 was associated with him briefly at Real Madrid before he took number 7 there as well.