RUUD VAN NISTELROOY
 

Voted PFA Player of the year 2001, PREMIERSHIP PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2003 and Best Striker in Europe 2002/03 (12 goals)!
''I'm so grateful to the fans of United because they gave me a great welcome. From the very first day they lifted my game so much so I owe them a big thank you. This is the proudest moment so far in my career. I have been voted by the players of the Premier League and that is the best league in Europe at the moment. That makes me feel proud. Playing for Manchester United is a fantastic feeling, but then again so is just playing, because when I was injured there were doubts I would play again.''  He also won the Goalden Boot as top scorer in the premiership 2003 and now the vote as Best Striker in Europe for his 12 goals in the Champions League 2002/03. Born in Oss, in the south-central region of the Netherlands, Ruud van Nistelrooy became interested in sport as a schoolboy. A real talent, he played football, tennis and gymnastics. As a boy in his village team he played as a sweeper, but his footballing career took off in 1993, when he moved to the then Second Division side FC Den Bosch. Here, at his first professional club, he was able to show off his developing skills, playing up front behind the forward line. After four years gaining experience, Ruud van Nistelrooy progressed into the Dutch First Division with SC Heerenveen, where he became a real striker. It began to pay off and Ruud was rewarded with 13 goals from 30 appearances. On his 22nd birthday, van Nistelrooy signed for PSV Eindhoven for £4.2 million, a record transfer between Dutch clubs. He made an immediate impact, scoring his first League goal for PSV against his former Club in the August. By the end of October, Ruud made his presence known when he scored a hat-trick for PSV against Sparta. He was in such good form that, on 18th November 1998, he made his international debut for Holland in a 1-1 draw with Germany. At the end of his first season, in May 1999, he finished as top scorer in the Dutch League with 31 goals, and earned himself second place in the European Golden Boot rankings. He was also voted Dutch Player of the Year by his fellow professionals. Van Nistelrooy gained an awesome scoring record with PSV, netting 60 goals during the two seasons he was playing. In the 1999/2000 season he scored two hat-tricks against Ajax, and after the second one, in Eindhoven, he said he hadn't been playing that well. Manchester United first looked likely to secure Ruud van Nistelrooy's signature in the April of 2000, but medical tests showed a weakness in his right knee, sustained in a friendly against Silkeborg that same month. United had wanted to open his knee up but Ruud refused, knowing that would put him out of Euro 2000, and he desperately wanted to perform in front of the Dutch fans. In hindsight he agreed that he should have gone ahead with the operation. Two days later, back in Eindhoven, Ruud collapsed in agony at PSV's training ground having ruptured the cruciate ligament in the same knee. The contact between Sir Alex and van Nistelrooy was a constant source of strength in the player's rehabilitation. Working with a personal trainer, Ruud set out on his remarkable road to recovery. Hours were spent in the swimming pool building up his strength, then hours were spent on the training ground working on his skill and fitness, all the time improving his knee. By March 2001, Ruud was able to complete his comeback with PSV, and continued to score goals, netting twice on his return to the First Team. Finally, on 23 April 2001, after turning down a late offer from Real Madrid, Ruud was able to complete his dream move to Manchester United, for a British record transfer fee of £19 million. That huge amount suddenly looked to be a bargain as Ruud's first season with United was nothing short of sensational. He scored in his first match - the Charity Shield defeat to Liverpool - then just couldn't stop finding the back of the net. 36 goals in his debut season - just months after it looked like his career may be over - was a frightening achievement. All the goals were in vain, however, as the Reds ended up trophyless for the first time in four years. Ruud was determined to win the Premiership, however, and set about his task with relish in 2002/03. Anyone who doubted he could recreate the form of his first season once again were soon put right. An incredible tally of 44 United goals fired the Reds to the League title after all had seemed lost, although two goals in two games against Real Madrid were not enough to put Sir Alex's men into the Champions League semi-finals. It's fair to say that without Ruud, United would not have won the 2002/03 Premiership. In the closing months of 2001/02 he had looked tired, but improved fitness the next season saw him score 15 goals in his last 10 games and 44 in all competitions as United leapfrogged Arsenal. Ruud had won his trophy at last. In the first half of 2003 he equalised Denis Law's European scoring record. He signed a new 5 year deal in January 2004 and hopes to eventually finish his career back at his former club PSV.
Ruud scored his 100th and 101st goals against Everton on the 7th Feb. 2004, the second goal proving to be the winner. This is the fastest century by a United player, certainly in the modern era. In the following season Ruud was out injured for a lot of matches but still scored 16 in all competitions. However this proved to be one of United's poorest seasons in the Premiership. 2005/06 was also tempered with disappointment. By December Ruud had bagged 17 goals in 26 starts, but the return to form and fitness of Louis Saha saw him edged out of the side. Van Nistelrooy was an unused substitute in the Carling Cup final and was left out of the match with Charlton on the final day of the season, with Sir Alex citing issues around “the spirit of the club” as the reason for his exclusion. Ruud only played once for Holland in the World Cup due to differences of opinion with the manager. He then asked United for a transfer and subsequently signed for Real Madrid in July 2006. There is no doubt that he has become a goal scoring legend, he scored more goals per game in the Champions League than any other player, and will carry the good wishes of all United fans for the future.