The goalkeeper who conceded Cristiano Ronaldo's first Manchester United goal has made a surprising confession

As Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his 40th birthday, former Portsmouth goalkeeper Shaka Hislop has shared a fascinating anecdote about the Portuguese superstar's first goal for Manchester United. Hislop was in goal for Portsmouth when Ronaldo scored a stunning free-kick in a 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford in November 2003.

A Moment to Remember

Hislop recalled the moment in an interview, describing how Ronaldo's free-kick caught him off guard. "It was from a very tight angle," Hislop said. "As it was coming in, I thought Nicky Butt was going to get a touch on it, so I was expecting a deflection. But when he ran with Nigel Quashie, they both put their legs in and neither of them got a touch on it, and it went in at the far post."

A Raw Talent

Hislop also spoke about his initial impressions of the young Ronaldo. "Cristiano Ronaldo had just signed and we'd heard a lot about him. But if you remember, in his first spell at Manchester United, Ronaldo overdid everything. He admitted himself that he used to overdo it."

A Maturing Talent

Hislop believes that it was Ronaldo's time at Manchester United, working alongside experienced players like Paul Scholes, that helped him to mature as a player. "It wasn't until he got to Manchester United and started working with players like Paul Scholes - how efficient he was, how accurate he was with his passing - that his game really started to mature. Of course, at the time, nobody could imagine what he was going to do. He was a good player. He was going to do great things, but not [imagine] the level he ended up reaching," he said.

A Lasting Legacy

Ronaldo's goal against Portsmouth was just the beginning of a remarkable career at Old Trafford. The Portuguese superstar went on to score 145 goals in 346 appearances for the club across two spells. His impact on the club and the sport as a whole is undeniable.