Sir Alex Ferguson had sent his trusted assistant Queiroz to Cristiano Ronaldo's family home in Portugal in a last-ditch attempt to persuade his prize asset not to walk out on United.

Ronaldo feared he had no future at Old Trafford after being vilified for his role in Wayne Rooney's dismissal during England's World Cup defeat against Portugal.

Caught on camera winking at his teammates after Rooney's red card, the winger became a ready-made scapegoat.

Rooney was reported to be furious with his United teammate and, with English fans preparing a hostile reception, it was no surprise that Ronaldo felt he would be better off elsewhere.

Real Madrid made it clear they were ready to offer him an escape route and Ronaldo was quick to express interest. But in Manchester, Ferguson cast his mind back 11 years to a midnight dash across Paris.

The United manager had been driven on the back of a motorbike through the French capital to find Eric Cantona when his talismanic striker decided he wanted to retire after being banned for his notorious kung-fu kick on a Crystal Palace fan.

Ferguson had persuaded Cantona to carry on and he decided that Queiroz, who had established a close relationship with his fellow Portuguese, was the right man to repeat the trick with Ronaldo.

Over a meal with the player and his family, Queiroz convinced Ronaldo that the storm of controversy would die out in the same way it had after David Beckham was briefly public enemy number one following his World Cup red card in 1998.

As Ferguson looks back on a season in which he broke Chelsea's stranglehold on the Premiership, he is certain to reflect on the significance of that moment.

After all the 22-year-old has driven United to their first title for four years with a series of scintillating displays and a remarkable tally of 23 goals in all competitions.

He has rightly been lauded for his efforts and the PFA and Football Writers' Footballer of the Year awards he has won are a fitting tribute to a player who is already a United icon.

When even Sir Bobby Charlton, one of the finest forwards ever to grace Old Trafford and a former teammate of Best, is moved to describe Ronaldo as being capable of doing things he has never seen before, there can be no question about his talent.

That ability has been allied to a new-found maturity to create an unstoppable force. He has even toned down the amateur dramatics and Queiroz believes the winger's fierce work-ethic guarantees he will never stop striving to improve his dazzling array of feints and step-overs.

"He is always the first to arrive at training and the last to go," Queiroz said. "Many times when the session has finished, we shower, eat and then we look at the pitch and he is still training.

"He is a player who has a divine gift. He was born to be the best in the world."

After destroying Aston Villa, Wigan and Reading with three two-goal hauls over Christmas, it became increasingly clear United could win the title if Ronaldo maintained his momentum.

When Real Madrid made a renewed attempt to entice Ronaldo to Spain, Ferguson pre-empted them by telling his board to hand him a new five-year deal worth 26 million pounds.

He responded to that show of faith by raising his game to an even higher level. In the space of five days in April, he was instrumental in the breath-taking 7-1 demolition of Roma and an FA Cup semifinal rout of Watford.

It was fitting Ronaldo scored the penalty at Manchester City on Saturday that all but ensured United would be crowned Premiership kings again.

But it was his late goal at Fulham that perfectly encapsulated the poise and passion he brings to the Ferguson's side.

United had struggled to find their rhythm against obdurate opponents and were seconds away from being held to a draw that would damage their hopes of pulling away from Chelsea.

Ronaldo refused to be subdued. He seized possession on the left wing, cut past two despairing lunges and surged towards goal before dispatching a fierce strike past Jan Lastuvka. Game over.

And who did Ronaldo celebrate longest and loudest with? Rooney of course.