Manchester United's European Cup winner Alex Stepney says Cristiano Ronaldo can place himself alongside club great George Best by inspiring his team to victory in tonight's Champions League final.

Former United goalkeeper Stepney said: "He is already a great player and is surely heading for the European Player of the Year award. If he can turn it on in Moscow and win the final for United he will be World Player of the Year and worthy of comparison to George.

"I know George would have been urging him on. He would have loved watching the tricks, explosive pace and finishing. He would also have admired his bravery."

Stepney can also see parallels between United's two managerial knights, Matt Busby and Alex Ferguson.

"Alex is already more successful in terms of trophies but there will never be another story like Matt's," he said.

"It wasn't so much that he built three great teams as the way the third was created. When you think what happened at Munich, how many lives were lost and how he only just pulled through to win the European Cup 10 years later has to be one of THE great sporting triumphs."