Sir Alex Ferguson’s public warning to Cristiano Ronaldo after being caught headbutting opponent

It has taken two decades and more than 200 appearances for Cristiano Ronaldo to earn a red card in a senior Portugal game, but it’s not the first dismissal of his career. Ronaldo was shown a straight red in Portugal’s World Cup qualifying defeat against Ireland, and could miss the first game of next summer’s tournament as a result, but he has also been sent off 12 times during his club career.

The most recent of those club red cards came in April 2024, when his Al-Nassr side lost to Al-Hilal in the Saudi Super Cup. He also picked up a solitary red for Juventus in the 2018/19 Champions League and six for Real Madrid – four in La Liga, one in the Spanish Super Cup and one in the Copa del Rey.

Before all that, though, Ronaldo was dismissed four times while at Manchester United. All four came during his first spell with the club, and one in particular prompted a fierce warning from then-manager Sir Alex Ferguson

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Ronaldo’s first career dismissal came at the tail end of the 2003/04 season when he picked up a late second booking in a victory over Aston Villa. He was also booked twice in a Manchester Derby victory in 2008, and earned two straight red cards in between those two.

The first came for a stamp aimed at former United striker Andy Cole when the England international was playing for neighbours City, with United failing in their appeal against his suspension. Ferguson was less forgiving in 2007, when Portsmouth were the opponents.

With seven minutes left on the clock at Fratton Park and the scores level, Pompey midfielder Sulley Muntari saw his own afternoon end early after a second booking. United looked primed to take full advantage, only for Ronaldo to headbutt Richard Hughes – yes, the man who would go on to become Liverpool sporting director – just two minutes later.

There was no appeal from Ferguson this time. “He has got to realise he is better than these other players and not to rise to their bait. He has got to rise above it,” the United boss said.

“It was a trivial moment. One of the highlights of my career, but an insignificant encounter for Cristiano Ronaldo,” Hughes would later tell Played Up Pompey Three. “I’m not someone who scored loads of goals, so I have to remember other landmarks. Should I ever meet people who don’t necessarily remember me playing Premier League football, I can always tell them that one of the game’s greats headbutted me.

“Sir Alex Ferguson afterwards said Ronaldo shouldn’t get involved with inferior players. He was absolutely right, I am an inferior player. Did I take offence? Well, 99 per cent of the footballing world is inferior to Cristiano Ronaldo, so I had absolutely no problem with that!”

Ronaldo, for his part, seemed to take those comments to heart for the remainder of the campaign. He scored what was then a career high of 31 league goals, helping United win the league and Champions League.

Against Ireland, though, Ferguson’s advice appeared far from his thoughts. However, his current international boss, Roberto Martinez, offered some words of defence for the 40-year-old.