The 7 best images of Ronaldo's return!

Friday 24 December 2021 09:00

Has there been a bigger sporting story in 2021 than Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Manchester United?

The Portuguese superstar's move from Juventus to the Reds in late August caught everyone by surprise but he hasn't disappointed so far, scoring 13 goals in 18 games.

United photographer Ash Donelon has had a privileged view of Cristiano's homecoming, from snapping our no.7 on that sun-kissed day in September when he took to the Old Trafford pitch to soak in his surroundings to the cold and dark Saturday evening in East Anglia, as he struck a late penalty to give the Reds all three points against Norwich.

So, we thought we'd ask Ash to pick out seven (of course!) of his favourite images of Ronny so far and describe why he loves them so much.

Delve into the gallery below to see the photos he has chosen and scroll further down for the story behind each, directly from Mr Donelon…

1. HOMECOMING

"It was a surreal privilege to be one of the only people in the stadium when Cristiano first returned to Old Trafford. When he walked down the tunnel and on to the pitch, even though the stands were empty, I could hear the crowd cheering in my head. Seeing him in that red shirt with his arms open wide created a sense of joyous nostalgia, mixed with genuine excitement for what’s to come."

2. BACK TO WORK

"With the media duties out of the way, it was time to get back to the real work – football. One of the reasons Cristiano has enjoyed such a long and distinguished career is that he truly loves what he does, and when you see him smiling in his first training session since his return, you could tell the passion still burns brightly."

3. LET’S DO THIS!

"The sense of anticipation for Cristiano’s first match back at Old Trafford was incredible, from the sea of Ronaldo shirts outside the ground, to the chorus of songs inside, I’ve never experienced anything like it.

"I wanted to make sure I captured the moment he first stepped back onto the pitch, so I lay down on the grass right on the touchline, literally as close as I could possibly be - I was getting this shot no matter what. The low angle makes him appear larger than life, and when he looked down the barrel of my lens I knew I’d got the image I needed."

4. STEP BACK IN TIME

"Despite the fact Ronaldo has generated some truly phenomenal career stats, some people were questioning whether he could still light up the Premier League at the age of 36. When he executed a delightful trademark stepover a few minutes into his first game back, it was clear for all to see that he still had what it takes."

5. IMPACT PLAYER

“Even though a football match is an hour and a half long, the decisive moments can occur in a split second, so whether you’re a player or a photographer you need to stay alert at all times. When Bruno launched an aerial ball towards the Tottenham penalty area, Cristiano had to be ready to connect with it, and I had to be ready to capture the moment too.

“Ronaldo’s yellow boots and the assistant referee’s brightly coloured flag in the background really help make this image work, as they turn the moment of impact into an explosion of colour.”

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6. THROUGH THE LEGS

“When it’s not covered in torrential rain, Carrow Road is one of my favourite grounds to work at. Most football stadiums have big advertising boards around the pitch that photographers have to sit behind, meaning there’s usually a physical barrier between me and the action.

“At Norwich, not only are the photographers’ positions in front of the advertising boards, they’re also dug into the pitch, meaning I’m sat beneath pitch level and my camera lens is aligned with the grass. The upside of all this is that you genuinely feel like you are part of the action. The downside is that I have no room for manoeuvre when someone blocks my view.

“When Cristiano was getting ready to take the decisive penalty, I had my shot lined up perfectly, and then the assistant referee stood directly in front of me and I couldn’t do anything about it. Thankfully I managed to use a gap between his legs to frame Cristiano, and I was delighted with how the final shot came out.”

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7. THE PASSION OF THE CRIST

“The home match against Villarreal had been a tough one to photograph, it was goalless at half-time and then United conceded. When Alex Telles scored the equaliser he was on the opposite side of the pitch to me, meaning my view of the goal and the celebration were obscured by other players.

“Although I always live in hope that United will nick a winner and the goalscorer would run towards my camera to celebrate, when the clock reached 94 minutes it looked like it wasn’t going to go my way.

“Then in the 95th minute, Mr Champions League does what he always does and finds the net. Old Trafford erupts, and I’m able to capture the best photo I’ve ever taken. Seeing this image get published all around the world was an incredible feeling, and made the decades of hard work I’ve put into photography all seem worthwhile.”

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