The Portuguese prodigy had wowed everybody with his performance in the friendly against us with Sporting Club and there was a real buzz of excitement around Old Trafford when he arrived, as there is now, some 18 years later.
And he delivered on his debut against Bolton Wanderers. The feeling in the stands that day was that we were witnessing the start of something special - this was a boy with George Best-like qualities to get supporters off their seats.
'You've only come to see Ronaldo' quickly became a chant aimed at opposition fans in the coming weeks and months.