Cristiano Ronaldo

United will play Victory in a preseason match on July 15, in addition to a fixture against Premier League rivals Crystal Palace at the MCG four days later.

Yorke — who played for United when it faced the Socceroos at the MCG in 1999 — was in Melbourne on Thursday to join the Victorian government in announcing the club's visit to the city.

He said Ronaldo was likely to make the trip to Australia.

"He is our player. He is contracted for another season as well," Yorke said.

Robert Lewandowski was considered a strong chance of denying Messi the honour after a record-breaking campaign.

The Bayern Munich and Poland striker scored a Bundesliga record 41 goals in just 29 games last season to better the record set by the late Gerd Mueller.

he competition’s all-time top scorer struck a sweet volley from outside the box in the 91st minute to keep United on top of Group F.

However, another disjointed display bailed out by Ronaldo’s brilliant finishing will do little to ease the pressure on coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The Norwegian bought himself some time from the calls for him to be sacked with a 3-0 win at Tottenham on Saturday.

Solskjaer’s switch to a back three at the weekend resulted in some much-needed defensive solidity.

The Portuguese superstar – who handed United their first Champions League win of the campaign with a late strike against Villareal – did it again with an 81st minute winner, leaping into the air to head home a Luke Shaw cross.

It was Ronaldo’s sixth goal in eight appearances since rejoining the Premier League giants, but arguably his most important yet as it reduces the pressure on coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after a woeful first half defensive performance.

The 36-year-old could play for the Red Devils again for the first time in 12 years on Sunday (12am AEST) when United takes on Newcastle.

He admitted to feeling “nervous” about his return, but said he would be pushing manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær to put him straight in the starting XI.

They’ve made the social media announcement, released videos of all his goals, he’s even posted a heartwarming message to United fans – and Sir Alex Ferguson, especially – himself.

But one thing is missing – what shirt number he will wear.

There is probably no other playing in the world more synonymous with a number that Ronaldo and the No.7 he first wore at Manchester United.

The 36-year-old made his name on the world stage in six years at United between 2003 and 2009 before moving to Real Madrid for a then world record transfer fee.

He became a legend at Madrid, scoring a remarkable 450 goals in 438 matches in a glittering nine-year spell that included four Champions League triumphs and winning the Ballon d’Or for the world’s best player four times.

Ronaldo joined Juventus in 2018 and won two Serie A titles, but his time in Turin has not lived up to expectations.

From the moment of his arrival as an unknown scrawny teenagers wear the famous No.7 shirt vacated by David Beckham a month earlier, to the moment he left for a then world-record fee of £80m, he delighted Manchester United fans with every touch of the football.

He became the first player to win a Ballon d’Or while at the club since the 1960s and would probably have a statue built outside Old Trafford once he retires.

Messi was a controversial absentee from the Best Men's Player nominations, with Luka Modric scooping the top prize ahead of Ronaldo and Liverpool star Mohamed Salah.

And Capello has slammed Ronaldo and Messi, who were both included in the FIFPro World XI, for not appearing at Monday's ceremony in London.

"It is a lack of respect, for the players, for FIFA and for the world of football," Capello told TVE.

"It is possible that they won too much and do not like to lose. In life you have to be good when you win and when you lose."

A header apiece secured victory for Uruguay and IR Iran, while who else but Cristiano Ronaldo stole the show in the goalfest between Spain and Portugal, earning his country a point.

By bagging his first World Cup hat-trick, Ronaldo became just the third Portuguese player to achieve the feat at the competition after Eusebio (1966) and Pauleta (2002).