Rafael: I was convinced to join Man Utd after a phone call with Cristiano Ronaldo
Rafael da Silva has revealed he was convinced to join Manchester United after Cristiano Ronaldo phoned him up personally.
The Brazilian full-back moved from boyhood club Fluminense to Old Trafford in 2008 alongside twin brother Fabio, linking up with Sir Alex Ferguson’s side as a highly promising 18-year-old after being tracked for a number of years.
Capped twice by Brazil in 2012, Rafael went on to appear 170 times for Man Utd during a career that spanned seven years in the north west of England, mopping up plenty of winner’s medals in that time, including three Premier Leagues.
How to Bet £10, Get £20 with Live Score:
- Join LiveScore Bet (here’s the link)
- Deposit and place a £10 bet
- Get two free bets*
*New members. £10 min deposit & bet on sportsbook, placed & settled at 1.5 min odds within 14 days of sign-up. Win part of E/W bets. 2 non-withdrawable £10 Free Bet Tokens: accept in 7 days, valid for 7 days from crediting (ex. E/Ws & Multiples), stakes not returned. Click here for Rules & Exclusions. Bet Responsibly. BeGambleAware.org
Rafael, along with brother Fabio, have made no secret that moving to one of the biggest footballing institutions at such a young age was a daunting experience, but a certain phone call from one of the club’s superstars made that transition slightly easier.
“He [Ronaldo] called my phone, and I’ll never forget that,” Rafael told UTD Podcast.
“My phone had all the zeros [on the screen, to indicate an international call] and I was saying ‘Who is this? I’ve never received a call like this.’ I answered, and I knew him because I’d trained with him before.
“He just said: ‘Ah, [Portuguese greeting]!’ I ran to my bus saying: ‘It’s Ronaldo, it’s Ronaldo! He’s calling us to speak!’
“He just said: ‘It’s raining here, it’s raining here in Manchester, like you know.’ He said: ‘I call to say to you guys: sign for Manchester United. I know you are going to like it,’ et cetera.
“I could not believe [it]. It was amazing.”
18+, UK only. Deposit and place a minimum £10 cash bet at single or accumulated odds of 1/1 or greater and we will give you 1 x £5 in free bets plus an extra 3 x £5 Free Bets the following day. Applies to first cash bet only. Free bets credited as 4 x £5 bets to use on 3x Any sport & 1x Virtuals. Cashed Out, Void or Draw No Bet wagers do not qualify for this promotion. 1 x £5 Free Bets are credited upon qualifying first bet settlement, other free bets credited by midday the day after your first bet settles. 7-day free bet expiry. Available once per customer. This offer cannot be combined with any other promotion. Full T&C’s apply.
18+ only. New UK customers only. T&Cs apply.
Claim Here
18+ only. Use code BET30. New Players Only. Minimum stake $/€/£ 10, minimum odds1.5, stake not returned.1X wagering the winnings from the free bet. Wagering occurs from real balance first. Wagering requirement is calculated on bonus bets only, wagering starts from real funds. Free bet is valid for 7 Days from issue. Max conversion: $/€/£ 200. Excluded Skrill deposits. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Full Terms Apply
18+ only. New customers only. T&Cs apply.
Claim Here
18+ only. £10 min. deposit required. 1 x £10 qualifying bet required. Qualifying bet must be placed on selection with min. odds of 1.8 (4/5). 4 x £5 Free Bets will be credited once the qualifying bet has been settled. 1 x Free Bet valid for any Football Match Result market. 1 x Free Bet valid on any Football Correct Score market. 1 x Free Bet valid on any Horse Racing market. 1 x Free Bet valid on any Tennis market. Free Bets valid for 7 days once credited. T&Cs apply.
18+ only. New customers only. T&Cs apply.
Claim HereFabio went on to explain that Rafael became familiar with Ronaldo following several trials and training days at Carrington, during which time he bulked up on his return to Rio de Janeiro before signing a professional contract with the club.
“When my brother came back from his first time, from 20 days [of] training with Man United, he was so excited,” Fabio explained.
“He actually got bigger. I didn’t go the first time he went, because I was with the Under-15s in Brazil, and he went on his own.
“He came back so excited, speaking about everything: how big the training ground was, the players he met, and he met Sir Alex Ferguson. He was so excited. To be honest, we are twins, so, of course, he spoke with me and told me everything, but I couldn’t feel his excitement.
“John Calvert [-Toulmin], the scout, said ‘They really like us.’ So, for us, we said: ‘Maybe it’s going to happen.’ We start to have a few of these trials, or like training days. Ronaldo called us to [encourage us to] sign. I think Sir Alex got him to call us. That time, I actually thought: this is true!”
