My Magic Moment: Ronaldo's Old Trafford treble
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
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UEFA.com marks Ronaldo's birthday by looking back at his hat-trick at Old Trafford in 2003, when the home crowd gave him a standing ovation. "It was very special for me."
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UEFA.com marks former Barcelona and Real Madrid striker Ronaldo's 39th birthday by looking back at his memorable Old Trafford hat-trick in the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
Madrid, who already had a 3-1 lead from the first leg in the Spanish capital, advanced to the last four in style, Ronaldo's high-class treble enough to give them a three-goal aggregate cushion. The ex-Brazilian international was taken off midway through the second half to a standing ovation from home and away fans alike. Though United eventually pulled back the overall score to 6-5, the damage was done.
"When I left the pitch, people stood up and applauded me off," said Ronaldo. "It was a really unique situation and a very special moment for me. I haven't really experienced a similar situation since then. It was very interesting and special for me."
Hear more from Ronaldo and watch his hat-trick in the video above
