'Penalties don't count' – Sir Alex Ferguson once tried to get out of ...

It may seem unfathomable given that 50-goal seasons soon became the norm, but back in the day 15 was seen as ambitious for Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portuguese megastar was coming into his fourth term with Manchester United when Alex Ferguson set the watermark after seasons of six, nine and 12 goals from the wing.

Ronaldo became a certified superstar the season Fergie challenged him

By the new year Ronaldo already had matched his previous best of 12, scoring twice in three consecutive matches to end 2006 on a high and take the Premier League’s Player of the Month Award home with him for Christmas.

Speaking after being given the prize, the then 21-year-old said: "To beat the manager is my ambition and I want to carry on, I want to score more goals.”

Ronaldo was referring to a bet he made with Ferguson, worth £400, that he wouldn’t reach 15 by the season’s end.

Football restarted in the New Year, but Ronaldo didn’t - failing to follow up his six goals in three games by being kept scoreless in the following two.

However, he was back amongst it against Aston Villa, then Watford, and Ferguson was sweating heading to White Hart Lane next time out.

There, Ronaldo made sure he could go in at half-time with his head held high. 

The no.7 tricked his way into the penalty area, in injury time, and after being taken down by Steed Malbranque, he put away the resulting penalty to leave his manager out of pocket.

That match was perhaps best remembered by John O’Shea finishing the match in goal after Edwin van der Sar was knocked out by Robbie Keane’s knee, but Ferguson wasn’t allowed to forget about the bet.

When Sky Sports’ Geoff Shreeves reminded him of the best post match, he replied: “Penalties don’t count. Oh well, I need to go to the bank I think.”

He would add: “It’s fantastic, the boy is playing great, the courage to play and he always wants the ball. 

Ferguson jokingly tried to get out of his bet with RonaldoCredit: Sky SportsFerguson signed Ronaldo from Sporting in 2003

“I actually thought in the early part of the match he was a bit careless but once he got the ball he improved by getting more of the ball. 

“He’s that type of player, you have to service him and get the ball to him and get him working in the game, he’s not the kind of player who can play on the fringes, he’s got to be involved all the time.”

Ronaldo went on to end the season with 20 goals overall in all competitions, and even with three of them being penalties, Ferguson had little left to argue about.

Learning from his mistakes, Ferguson was wise not to put on any bets the following season, with Ronaldo bagging 42 in all competitions and taking home the European Golden Shoe.

The great Man United boss helped shape Ronaldo into one of the best players in the world after signing him in 2003.

He joined from Sporting as a teenager, beating fellow Premier League club Charlton to his signature.

There is a huge amount of mutual admiration between the pair.

"As everybody knows, since I signed at 18, Sir Alex Ferguson was the key," Ronaldo told MUTV.

The pair still enjoy a strong bond to this dayCredit: Getty - Contributor

"I remember when we played against Manchester when I was at Sporting Lisbon. For me, Sir Alex Ferguson is like a father in football for me.

"He helped me a lot, he taught me many things, and in my opinion of course he had a big role because the relationship that we had, we keep in touch all the time, and he's an unbelievable person.

"I really like him a lot and he was the main key for me to be in the position that I am, that I signed for Manchester United."

After leaving Man United for Real Madrid, he went on to become a global icon winning countless title and five Ballons d'Or.

At 39, he's still playing in the Saudi Pro League with Al Nassr.