There was cause for celebration at Old Trafford on August 17, 2003. Manchester United was a 4-0 winner over Bolton on its home pitch, but newcomer Cristiano Ronaldo stole the headlines with a debut that did not even include a goal. The Guardian wrote that Ronaldo was reminiscent of the legendary George Best. Bolton’s coach said he was holding his breath every time Ronaldo had the ball. And a sizeable crowd walked away from the opening match as witnesses to history. A rookie card fitting of the performance is available in this week’s auction, as a PSA 10 example of Ronaldo’s rookie card from the 2003 Upper Deck Manchester United set will have collectors going back in time to celebrate the start of his illustrious career.
