It’s safe to say, Robbie Brady won’t ever be awestruck by Cristiano Ronaldo like this again.
Brady scored the goal that sent the Republic of Ireland into the last-16 of Euro 2016 on Wednesday night.
Arriving onto the end of a perfectly-floated cross from Wes Hoolahan, the 24-year-old nodded the ball home, sending the Irish crowd into raptures. His late winner set-up Sunday’s game against France in Lyon and secured his place in Irish sporting history.
And while he was the hero on Wednesday night, it hasn’t always been that way for Brady who was once just another awestruck teenager at Manchester United, upon arriving at Old Trafford aged 16 in 2008.
He soon felt the ire of Alex Ferguson.
One day in the club canteen, Cristiano Ronaldo cut ahead of Brady in the queue for food. The young Dubliner allowed the sleight to pass, failing to call out the superstar.
It may seem like a straight forward enough situation, but the then-Manchester United manager tore into Brady for not standing up for himself.
As far as Ferguson was concerned, the teenager had to be able to stand up to someone who’s place in the team he was aiming to take.
“When I went over, it was the biggest club in the world… I was still in awe and maybe it took me a little while to get what it really took,” Brady told The Irish Times last year.
He would join Hull City in 2011, get promoted to the Premier League and move again to Norwich City last summer. Brady matured and developed following his move from Old Trafford.
“I think my time at United and then my loan spells at Hull helped me mature, to grow up and get my head around what it took. I always wanted to play at the highest level but it took getting that in your mind, and knowing what it takes was a big thing. But I feel on the road now and I know what I want and I’m setting goals for myself and hopefully I can keep on going.”
One of those goals was undoubtedly achieved on Wednesday night, and we doubt Brady would let Ronaldo try something like that again.
