Ruud Van Nistelrooy's footballing career began in 1993 playing for FC Den Bosch. He spent four seasons there, in the Dutch second division, before being transferred to Heerenveen. After a few months, PSV Eindhoven had seen enough and, halfway through 1998, paid up EUR 7.5m, a record-breaking amount between Dutch clubs, to sign a striker that had just turned 22 years old.

The trust that PSV had deposited in him was soon repaid. Van Nistelrooy finished his first campaign in Eindhoven as Dutch League MVP and top-scorer, with 31 goals, which also placed him as runner-up of the European Golden Boot.

The following season, Van Nistelrooy had scored 29 by March 2000. Manchester United had already reached an agreement with PSV to sign him for GBP 19m. But on 6 March 2000, in a friendly match against Silkeborg, Van Nistelrooy suffered a knee injury. In spite of the injury, he was elected Best Dutch Player and was Golden Boot runner-up for the second consecutive year.

Nevertheless, any long-term doubts regarding his future vanished in March of next year. He returned from his injury, materialised the transfer to ManU, finally, and caused a spectacular raucous in the English Premiership.

Among other feats, during his second season in 2002/03, he scored 25 goals, being instrumental in the Premier League title that the ‘Red Devils’ conquered that year.