Ferguson suffered the pain of watching Ronaldo level matters for Madrid - but could not hide his admiration for the talent he nurtured so carefully at Old Trafford.
He said: "Cristiano had great years with us. I spoke to him. He is sitting in our dressing room, talking to the lads.
"I'm proud to see how he has flourished. I don't know how you describe a goal like that. I blamed Patrice Evra for not challenging him until I saw the replay. Then I felt a bit stupid.
"His kneecap is almost at the same height as Evra's head. It shows how high he climbed but I have seen it before when he played for us. His spring is unbelievable, as is the power in his header.
"I don't know if there is a player in the game who can do that. Certainly Lionel Messi couldn't do that."