MANCHESTER United have beefed-up security at Cristiano Ronaldo's mansion, amid fears for the Portuguese star's safety.
A huge metal gate bars entry to the United winger's Woodford house, now guarded by two burly security guards hired by the club to help him run the gamut of photographers and hostile fans.
The doormen have been stationed at the posh address since the player left for training yesterday (pictured exclusively here) after concern that resentful fans furious at his world cup performance against England, may attempt to harm him or the property.
One of the black-jacketed men told us: "We are here as a security precaution but we have had no trouble - just a few photographers hanging around."
The £12million Madeira-born star lives with his mum at the house, owned by the Old Trafford club.
The tight-lipped guard added: "We don't know how long we are going to have to stay, but we are under contract from the club to say nothing further."
Twenty-one-year-old football ace Ronaldo left the house on Monday driving himself and a companion in a black BMW M6, and sporting a tracksuit top.
He came face-to-face with Wayne Rooney the same day for the first time since being accused of contributing to his club-mate's dismissal in Germany.
The incident led to massive hostility towards Ronaldo from English fans and unconfirmed reports of vandals attacking his home with beer glasses.
Some neighbours had said after the controversy a move back to the area would not be welcome.
Resident Keith Hampton, a football referee of 16 years, said: "He will never be welcomed back into this country and he'll be out by Christmas. The fans will hound him out unless he comes back and apologises profusely to the whole country for his actions."
However, David McLeod, who lives across the road, told us: "We did see a couple of flags pinned to the fence, but there's luckily been no bother from angry fans."
United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson reiterated to Ronaldo, who wishes to leave for Spain, that he will not be allowed to depart so soon after signing a contract that effectively binds him to United until 2010.
Ronaldo is not expected to play for United until this weekend at the earliest - against either Porto or Ajax in the Amsterdam tournament.
Showing comments 1 to 6 and replies | View All
Jayne, London (02/08/2006 at 14:23)
The only thing Cristiano Ronaldo is guilty of is playing his heart out for his country, all the accusations of diving/cheating are just from hypocrites, as if you were to put together a list of players who had NEVER gone to ground a bit too easily then it would be a very short one.
I love my club team, I love my national team, I love to watch football from all leagues, all countries but I am ashamed of the way in which people have reacted to the whole 'Ronaldo situation', it would be a crime against football for a player of his calibre to leave this country and play in a league where we do not get to see week in week out just how his genius is developing......... some of us will just let the football do the talking.
tamsin, leigh (02/08/2006 at 14:35)
debooo, scotland (02/08/2006 at 19:02)
browny, vancouver island (04/08/2006 at 12:52)
As for Ronaldo's getting in the face of the ref, it was done knowingly as a blatant provocation of a player he knows well and got the reaction it was designed to do. Ever here of unsporting behavior? A disgusting example of it that deserved a booking, which is what Rooney deserved too, but one thing you can't blame Ronaldo for was the ineptitude of the referee.
With all the TV money football at international, and premiership level too, has become a circus selling the game and players in the game as over-hyped merchandise. So cheats do prosper, acclaimed as superstars and sold like cornflakes. At what cause to a once proud sport? The football pioneers must be spinning in their graves.
Phil 8^(
Jackie Davies, Cheadle Hulme (03/01/2007 at 17:03)
Good luck
Karen, Manchester (28/01/2007 at 14:07)
I understand that his father died last year & stuff so he doesn't want her to be alone & I think that's very sweet & cute but she has another son & two girls.He really needs to let go cuz guys who live with their mother are a real turn-off!lol