Former Sporting Lisbon manager Fernando Santos has admitted that he regrets playing Cristiano Ronaldo in a friendly against Manchester United in 2003.
Ronaldo's performance in the pre-season match convinced then-United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to sign the Portuguese winger, who went on to win the Ballon d'Or at Old Trafford before moving on to Real Madrid.
Santos has since linked up with Ronaldo again to help Portugal to their first ever major trophy at Euro 2016 this summer, but he admits that he wishes he did not lose him so soon earlier in his career.
"I was his coach when he played against Manchester United," he told the Lisbon Web Summit.
"I put him in the team and now I regret it. One week before, I had lost Quaresma to Barca, two days later it was him off to Manchester United!
"I never expected that thirteen years later I would be champion – alongside both of them – in charge of the national team."
Ronaldo made just 25 league appearances for Sporting, scoring three times.
Barney Corkhill
