Fifa’s 2008 Player of the Year also known as the guy who scored 42 goals last season and better known as Cristiano Ronaldo was Manchester United best man last year, influencing the Red Devils to a double.

After reacting negatively during the Madrid transfer saga earlier last summer, Manchester United fans found it difficult to welcome back the young Portuguese. However, Ferguson would always be on Ronaldo’s side and ask the supporters to take him as he is: a great star and a regretful prodigal son.

But have Manchester United fans really forgiven Cristiano Ronaldo?

In addition to the fact that the “Viva Ronaldo” anthem is no more echoed amongst the crowd in stadiums, the Portuguese winger’s name is now being omitted from recent awards.

On Friday, the results of Manchester United Fans Player of the Month poll were announced on the club’s official website. Dimitar Berbatov probably deservedly claimed it with 56%, beating defender Nemanja Vidic who came in second with 28 % out of the total 50,000 votes.

Disappointingly though for every Ronaldo supporter, the talismanic number 7 came neither third, nor fourth, nor fifth, as midfielder Michael Carrick, goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar and, veteran Ryan Giggs filled the remaining places.

With Ryan Giggs finishing last on the list with only 3%, we understand that not even
1,500 people out the 50,000 fans who logged in to vote chose Ronaldo as their favorite player during the month of January.

These statistics are quite debatable though and not encouraging from a Ronaldo point of view.

After scoring two good goals disallowed against Chelsea which should have made him the man of the match, and after netting the winner in United’s Carling Cup semi final clash against Derby, as well as against Everton on January 31st – which took him up to second in the EPL Goal King chart – Ronaldo could only have his name absent in the fans Player of the Month poll as his reward.

Is it a sign that Manchester United fans don’t carry Ronaldo in their heart anymore?

Written by: Angela Asante