Brazilian icon Ronaldinho was close to joining Manchester United in 2003 until a last-ditch attempt by Barcelona to sign him paid off, to the anger and dismay of the Red Devils
Paul Scholes was unhappy with Ronaldinho for snubbing United in 2003(Image: Bongarts)
Brazilian legend Ronaldinho is one of the most famous examples of ‘the one that got away’ for Manchester United. The Red Devils were thought to be on the verge of securing the World Cup winner’s signature in 2023, but a late change of heart saw him join Barcelona instead.
Such was the surprise of his last-minute U-turn that several United players felt aggrieved at missing out on such a talent. One of whom was ex-United player Paul Scholes, who claimed he went from preparing to welcome the then-PSG forward to kicking him in a friendly just days later.
The Brazilian was reportedly just moments away from being announced as United’s next superstar during the Red Devils’ pre-season tour of the US in 2003. However, not even the lure of Sir Alex Ferguson was enough to withstand the might and persuasion of the Catalan giants.
Speaking to Robbie Savage on his Savage Social podcast, Scholes said: “We were away at pre-season and I think they were as close as announcing him and giving him the number, but he ended up changing his mind last minute and he signed for Barcelona.
“It’s strange really because that pre-season tour we were playing against Barcelona, so we were all excited. We thought he was going to bring something special, almost like what (Eric) Cantona brought to the team. Then three days later we’re playing against him in Seattle, so everyone’s trying to kick him! We were trying to beat him because he didn’t sign for us.”
Sir Alex Ferguson shakes hands with Ronaldinho shortly after the Barcelona legend rejected Manchester United(Image: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
After winning the Premier League in 2003, United embarked on a summer of change, and it was club icon David Beckham who unwittingly ended up playing a major part in Ronaldinho snubbing United.
After being heavily linked with Barcelona, Beckham ended up signing for bitter rivals Real Madrid for £25million, which encouraged Barcelona to target their own ‘galactico’ in Ronaldinho.
Speaking in his autobiography, Sir Alex explained just how close the deal for the enigmatic Brazilian was. “I had agreed a deal to bring him to Old Trafford. Carlos Quieroz [United’s assistant manager at the time] was there and would vouch for that,” Ferguson wrote.
“The attempt to buy Ronaldinho reflected the fact that United have always sported talismanic players. I was always hunting for that kind of talent. My line of reasoning was, ‘We’re getting £25m for Beckham, and we’re getting Ronaldinho for £19m. For God’s sake, wake up. It was a steal.”
Speaking on how his United move collapsed, Ronaldinho explained to El Enganche in 2014 that a change at the boardroom level for Barcelona, as well as its history of nurturing Brazilians, changed his mind.
Ronaldinho of Barcelona battles with Nicky Butt of Manchester United during a pre-season game in 2003(Image: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
“Everything was beautiful and happened fast. A great friend of mine was about to become a part of the Barcelona board: Sandro Rosell,” Ronaldinho said.
“I was almost on my way to Manchester United and only the details needed to be put onto that deal. But in the last minute Rosell called me to tell me they would win the election. That made everything happen fast. I wanted to play in Barcelona.
“I had the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of my idols. I was proud to play where Romario, Ronaldo and Rivaldo had played and I had the chance to be Barcelona’s new ‘R.’ I loved that.”
Ronaldinho would go on to establish himself as the best player in the world in Spain. He won the Ballon d’Or in 2005 while bagging two La Liga titles and the Champions League in 2006.
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