The stunning Cristiano Ronaldo effect boosts Sporting’s revenues

Two decades have passed since Cristiano Ronaldo left the Jose Alvalade for Manchester United after five years in Lisbon. Despite the apprehensions of an 18-year-old leaving his homeland, the impact he made in 2003 during a friendly match against the Red Devils made him a sought-after transfer target. Just days earlier, David Beckham had signed for Real Madrid, leaving a void at Old Trafford that required to be filled.

Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes, and Ryan Giggs were all impressed. After a 3-1 defeat to Sporting Clube de Portugal, they urged Sir Alex Ferguson to sign Cristiano Ronaldo. “The boys haven’t stopped talking about him in the dressing room. He’s one of the most exciting young players I’ve ever seen,” the legendary Scottish manager said. Although João Pinto and Luís Filipe scored for Sporting, Ronaldo didn’t need to score to catch Ferguson’s eye.

For Ferguson, cautious when it came to bringing in players, that friendly match, which celebrated the inauguration of a stadium for the 2008 European Championship, was enough to be smitten by the lad wearing the number ‘28′. A match that shaped football history and is still benefiting Sporting, as the ‘Cristiano brand’ keeps filling their coffers. In his time at the Portuguese outfit Ronaldo left a legacy of 1,391 minutes in 31 matches with five goals and six assists in Lisbon before scaling the highest of football’s heights.

Love for Cristiano Ronaldo in the Sporting Portugal store

“Now, we invite you to travel back to the future, 20 years and 5 Ballon d’Or awards later,” Sporting announced on their website when they renamed their Alcochete sports center, located about 30 kilometers from Lisbon, the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy. This August, Sporting paid tribute to Ronaldo by releasing a special edition jersey, which will be the third kit for this season, in his honor. It has golden sleeves, a dark green torso, and Ronaldo’s ‘CR7′ branding on the upper right side. The jersey pays tribute to both his last game and the Jose Alvalade stadium.

A shirt that can be purchased for 90 euros (with a 10% discount for members)... if there are any left. Since launch it has been flying off the real and virtual shelves at both the Nike website and Sporting’s physical and virtual store, pulverizing all sales expectations . Despite the critical voices that argue one name cannot overshadow the badge, in just two weeks more than 10,000 units have been sold. Half of them were purchased online by fans residing outside of Portugal. Evidence of the international projection of the Cristiano Ronaldo brand.