I won't stop doing my tricks - Ronaldo

George Best, Steve Coppell, Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona and David Beckham all became United icons before him. Now Ronaldo is the new Old Trafford talisman.

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"I've seen Beckham and Cantona — and films of George Best. Now I, too, have the No 7 and I will do my best to become a great player like those players from the past," he says.

"All the ones you've mentioned were entertaining players, like me, and perhaps there's a certain spirit about the jersey. The No 7 shirt is a legend's shirt at Manchester United, especially."

Can the double award-winning PFA Player of the Year, scorer of 24 goals this season, become the greatest of them all? Having recently signed a five-year contract, Ronaldo is at home on the Old Trafford stage.

"Before I came, I knew it was a big club, one of the best in the world. Everybody, more or less, knows Man United, even those who don't follow football. Being the first Portuguese to play for them is a big honour.

This is a club where you can grow as a footballer, reach as high a level as you want to.

"The manager encourages young players, Sir Alex has helped me a lot, supporting me through some difficult times. I think he's a very human person, very sincere."

Honoured by his fellow professionals, Ronaldo's growing popularity is all the more remarkable given his part in Wayne Rooney's World Cup red card, as well as his theatrical introduction into English football.

Now just about everyone outside of Middlesbrough has forgiven him. He accepts: "In Portugal, the football is quite different, more technical.

"People want to play football. Here it's more physical, more confrontational. People just tackle you hard if you try to play football.

"I remember in the first year, I was criticised for going to the floor too easily. That was an area of my game I had to change quite fast. It was, perhaps, the biggest lesson I've learned in England. It's a different type of game in Portugal. But the rules should be the same. If it's a free-kick the referee should give a free-kick. But here, referees choose to ignore fouls a lot of the time."

Asked if he tries to cheat when he goes to ground, Ronaldo responded: "No. There's a different mentality here, and it's not just the players, but the referees, too.

"Although there are some English players who are very technical, you don't have many. Portuguese or Spanish or Brazilian football is more technical.

"But I'm not going to stop trying to beat defenders in England. I have to be myself. Just because the referee doesn't give a free-kick or chooses not to send off someone who deserves it, doesn't mean I should become another player. I'll always take people on, it's my identity.

"But the referees here tend to favour defenders, because they get to tackle a lot without getting a yellow card. It's very difficult for a defender in England to get sent off by collecting two yellow cards.

"I think the referees should protect the attackers more, not only me, not only wingers, but strikers as well. If it's a dirty tackle or a harsh tackle, the ref should give a yellow card right away. But they don't, they're often told, 'Next time it' s a booking'."

Ronaldo says: "I was born with my ability. The stepover, for example, is something I did as soon as I started in my first teams. I used to play football on the street when I was a boy, and every day I tried to do different things.

"I always tried to invent new dribbles, new moves. Things would come into my mind and I'd try them. I think this attitude stayed. I always looked to have my own identity. That was my dream.

"The tricks came with me. I didn't watch football on television. But, of course, other players inspire you. I used to go to watch my cousins and brothers, and sometimes I would try and do the same things as them. My father was a kit man for the local club; I was always with him, watching the matches.

He added: "I wasn't always big. Even when I left Madeira at 13 I remember people saying I couldn't become a professional because I was too short. Then, suddenly, between 15 and 18 I jumped up and became as tall as I am now.

"But in the days playing in the street, it was always against older, much bigger, boys. I suffered because I had good ability and I dribbled a lot, suddenly I'd be pushed or tackled hard and I was out of the game. Sometimes when I tricked them, they didn't like it. They beat me sometimes.

"But it never stopped me being the player I am. I've always had a strong personality, because when a defender tackles you hard or challenges you mentally, you can't show weakness. You have to try and get over it and beat them with the ball." Ronaldo has more end-product to his skills now, too. "Nowadays it doesn't matter what tricks I do, they have to be of use to the team.

"If you want to be one of the best players in the world, which I want to, you have to learn all the time. Another thing I have to do is finish better and get more goals. If you are a good scorer people see you in a different dimension. In a couple of years, if I'm scoring more, people will think better of me."

It seems that process is already under way.