It was 2am in Moscow's Olympic Stadium just over 12 months ago when I first noticed it. Manchester United had just won the Champions League by beating Chelsea on penalties and all those in red shirts were celebrating with their fans, except for two.

Ronaldo and team-mate Anderson were standing on the half-way line, arms folded, deep in conversation. I pointed it out to the friend with whom I had travelled to Moscow. "He's talking about leaving," I quipped. "Never", came the reply.

Yet, deep down, we both knew he was on his way. Unlike Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, Ronaldo is not a local lad. The affiliation he feels for the club could never be the same as it is for that trio, all of whom are unlikely ever to play professional football for anyone else but United.

Only when you visit Ronaldo's home, on the tiny island of Madeira, as I did on holiday last year, do you actually realise just what Real Madrid mean to its humble inhabitants.

Madeira is part of Portugal, of course, but Real are the biggest team and it has always been Ronaldo's dream to play at the Bernabeu.

So, it felt like a bit of a bonus to have Ronnie remain at Old Trafford for another season after United refused to deal with the Spanish giants last summer.

But it wasn't the same. Having missed the start of the season with injury, Ronaldo returned looking a forlorn figure, a man who didn't want to be in Manchester any more, barely raising a smile even when he scored. The fans could see it and stopped singing his name.

Slowly, he rediscovered some of the form that made him the Footballer of the Year for two consecutive years and his vigorous celebration after he lashed home the winning free-kick against Blackburn at the end of February was that of a player in love with the game again.

His form and confidence grew as the season drew to its climax, he hit a wonderful goal against Porto and then destroyed Arsenal in the Champions League semi-final, second leg.

And so I travelled to Rome, full of expectancy, ready for Ronaldo to prove that he is the best player in the world, but it didn't happen for him that night against Barcelona.

Now all United supporters are left with are the memories - and what memories they are.

His winning goal at Fulham in February 2007 sticks out in my mind. With two minutes left and the score at 1-1, he picked the ball up halfway out on the wing before driving into the penalty area and unleashing a low shot into the net.

The win gave United renewed belief they could hold off the challenge of Chelsea and they went on to win the first of three consecutive Premier League titles.

I don't begrudge him his dream move to Madrid -and getting £80million for him certainly softens the blow.

As long as the Glazers don't swallow the money into their black hole of debt, Sir Alex Ferguson will use the cash to rebuild. He has done it before and will do it again.

When Eric Cantona retired in 1997, the critics said United's empire was ready to crumble. It didn't. When the next player to wear the No7 shirt, David Beckham, left for Spain six years later, Ferguson was told he had lost the plot. He hadn't.

The No7 shirt should now be passed on to Wayne Rooney, who can become the fulcrum for the next great United team. His performance for England last night proved what a great player he can be when granted the freedom that Ronaldo has been given in his six years at Old Trafford.

It is ironic Viva Ronaldo was, at one time, the United fans' most popular chant for the player. No doubt the Bernabeu Ultras will also be singing Long Live Ronaldo if he brings the same success to Real as he brought to United.

Good luck, Cristiano.