Ruud to announce retirement Monday.

Oat23

According to some Dutch news outlets, Ruud van Nistelrooy will be announcing his retirement from football tomorrow, aged 36.

Story

He's one of my favourite players ever. Loved watching him at United, then Madrid, and when he signed for my team it was a dream come true. I wish him well in the future. I met him once and he was very nice to me and the other fans who bumped into him on his way to training, signed all our autographs and took pictures. I'm not sure if he will be still involved in the game but I would hope so!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIuesG6-b7A

This is one of my favourite moments as a football fan. Off the bench for his debut and 11 minutes later he scored 2 goals in 90 seconds to give us a 3-1 win.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn5EYCF_KL0

Goodbye, Ruud! Enjoy your retirement.

MickySticks

150 goals in 219 apps for United says it all about him, a great finisher.

Samich

Absolute goal machine. Think not one of his Man Utd goals were from outside the box. Correct me if I'm wrong.

MrStuffins

One of the best strikers of his generation!

Adolf Hipster

Loved him at United, great poacher, think he scored 30+ from in front of the 6 yard box!


What a class act aswell, hope he goes into punditry.

Vurnon San Benito

Glad the OP included some videos.
It'd be Ruud not to..

*gets coat.

tvercetti

When he scored than penalty against Arsenal, the sound of him screaming in celebration...Love It!!!

Fart

What a legend.

Enjoy your retirement.

J. Marston

Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuud. Legend.

killwill

Samich wrote: »

Absolute goal machine. Think not one of his Man Utd goals were from outside the box. Correct me if I'm wrong.

He scored one where he got the ball inside his own half and took off up the pitch, think he buried it from about 20yards or so. Was it against Arsenal?

Adolf Hipster

killwill wrote: »

Samich wrote: »

Absolute goal machine. Think not one of his Man Utd goals were from outside the box. Correct me if I'm wrong.

He scored one where he got the ball inside his own half and took off up the pitch, think he buried it from about 20yards or so. Was it against Arsenal?

Fulham?

Inside box though but savage dribble, elbowed someone slightly aswell iirc!

J. Marston

I only remember one Ruud goal from outside the box, against Charlton.

killwill

Adolf Hipster wrote: »

Fulham?

Inside box though but savage dribble, elbowed someone slightly aswell iirc!

Vaguely remember the elbow!!! Off to Youtube it now!

cournioni

Great player and finisher. He used to be a joy to watch, I don't think he missed too many opportunities in front of goal for United. Probably the best striker of his generation IMO.

shadowcomplex

cournioni wrote: »

Great player and finisher. He used to be a joy to watch, I don't think he missed too many opportunities in front of goal for United. Probably the best striker of his generation IMO.

himself brazilian ronaldo and batistuta, best finishers ive ever seen

Giggsy11

Loved the "Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuddddddd" chant when he scored the goal. Superb finisher and one of the best striker of last decade. We were robbed by Madrid when we sold him for just over 10 Million.

Morzadec

Here's the Fulham goal, I remember it well, class goal

This is my favourite Van Nistelrooy moment

But no in all seriousness, one of the best finishers of this generation, a fantastic player. It would be a real close toss up between him, Bergkamp and Shearer to partner Henry in a Premier League era dream team.

Gandalph

I remember that penalty against arsenal! Jesus what tossers! Ruud was a hero even if you didnt support any of his teams, its got to be said!

JP Liz V1

Ruud van Nistelrooy has announced his decision to hang up his boots this summer after opting not to renew his contract with Malaga.

Legend of a player

adox

It was a sad day when he left Utd. I know there was the argument that he didnt suit the Utd style of play when he left and there were issues between himself and Ronaldo but still one of my favourite Utd players of all time.

An absolute goal machine.

plasmaguy

adox wrote: »

It was a sad day when he left Utd. I know there was the argument that he didnt suit the Utd style of play when he left and there were issues between himself and Ronaldo but still one of my favourite Utd players of all time.

An absolute goal machine.

Yeh remember that.

He was very frustrated with the service he was getting from Ronaldo, as he depended a lot on good service. I don't blame him, Ronaldo wasn't great in his early years at Old Trafford, could dribble past people and had buckets of pace, but couldn't cross to save his life and was trying all sorts of tricks and stepovers and half the time wouldn't come off, and the rest of the time he'd try for a spectacular goal which 9 times out of 10 would balloon into the crowd. Thankfully he matured at Old Trafford, probably due to Fergie's influence and hair dryer treatment.

bohsman

Still find that the fact that him and Kluivert are the exact same age is one of the craziest facts ever.

Cokeistan

True United Legend. Thanks for the memories Ruud, enjoy reitrement!

cgpg5

Couldn't stand him as a player but his goalscoring record can't be denied! All the best for him

Luap

Is becoming a full time presenter on RTE News.

plasmaguy

Maloney_o9 wrote: »

Is becoming a full time presenter on RTE News.

Source?

dahat

Cracking finisher and owes alot to Beckham,Beckham made more goals for him in his time at Utd.......

MrStuffins

plasmaguy wrote: »

Source?

cgpg5

MrStuffins wrote: »

"My career went downhill once I left Manchester United but once I signed for RTE news, it was a definite step in the right direction!"

plasmaguy

Well nice to see a footballer with a ready made career to walk into anyways, even if it will be a big drop in salary. So many of them end up on the scrapheap.

Big difference in climate between Malaga and Montrose too.

aidan24326

Samich wrote: »

Absolute goal machine. Think not one of his Man Utd goals were from outside the box. Correct me if I'm wrong.

He did eventually get one from outsode the box, against Charlton. Think it was about his hundredth United goal though.

Great great finisher, as good as there was in the Premier League era. In the top 6 alongside Henry, Shearer, Bergkamp, Rooney and Fowler.

Oat23

Scored 1 from outside the box with Hamburg. 35 yard freekick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=cE8vgpF7HSI#t=161s

That makes 2 goals from outside the box in his career!

plasmaguy

Yeh that's why he left United, Ronaldo wasn't setting up enough tap ins for him.

Beckham was a big help.

Great striker not in the same league as fat Ronaldo or even thin Ronaldo though.

Nalz

Loved the guy
Loved his song!

MrStuffins

plasmaguy wrote: »

Great striker not in the same league as fat Ronaldo

True. Although how many are?

or even thin Ronaldo though.

Completely different kind of player.

Liam O

adox wrote: »

It was a sad day when he left Utd. I know there was the argument that he didnt suit the Utd style of play when he left and there were issues between himself and Ronaldo but still one of my favourite Utd players of all time.

An absolute goal machine.

The issue between him and Ronaldo was unfortunate as keeping RVN would have been even more devastation with Rooney and Ronaldo in the team as him. Saha had a huge influence the season after Ruud left but was a level below Ruud, without any personal issues him and Ronaldo could have worked together for at least 3 or 4 years imo and made United an unstoppable beast (even more so than they turned out to be) because even when Tevez was there a lot of chances that went amiss and the team was missing a target man of some sort.

The_Kew_Tour

Legend!!!!!

Ruuddddddddddddddddddddd!!!!!