Alan Pattullo: Farewell, Ronaldo

So farewell then, Ronaldo. Here was one sportsperson who was rightly feted when at the peak of his game. This writer recalls being present at Old Trafford for a Champions League quarter final in 2003, when the Brazilian striker took less than an hour to collect a brilliant hat-trick for Real Madrid.

No-one in the stadium that night will ever forget Ronaldo - and we are talking about the original Ronaldo here - being applauded from the field by Manchester United fans when substituted after just 67 minutes. He looked genuinely taken aback.

Ronaldo had the world at his feet having also powered Brazil to the title of world champions. On Tuesday he made his last appearance in the famous yellow shirt, handed a 15-minute cameo appearance prior to half-time of the friendly with Romania in Sao Paulo. A rather fuller figure now, he wound down his career as a shadow of his former self. But who could possibly have maintained the intensity he managed for so long?