also the most high-profile English footballer to move to Spanish football since Gary Lineker had moved to Barcelona from Everton in 1986. When McManaman first arrived, he admitted an initial struggle with loneliness, and spoke at the time of retired former Liverpool player Michael Robinson being his mentor (having also moved to Spain to play football followed by a media career there). Following a successful pre-season with the Madrid team in Switzerland and Italy, McManaman and the team then returned to Spain and he proved an instant hit with the fans at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium after scoring three times and creating several goals in his first few games for Los Merengues. McManaman made his debut for Madrid on 22 August 1999 in the 2–1 win over Mallorca at the Son Moix stadium, Mallorca, where he assisted Fernando Morientes in scoring an injury time equaliser, enabling Madrid to go on to win 2–1 with seconds remaining. He scored his first goal for the club a week later on his home debut on 29 August in a 4–1 thumping of Numancia at the Santiago Bernabéu. In December 1999 to January 2000, McManaman and the Madrid team took part in the controversial inaugural FIFA Club World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, where McManaman missed an injury time chance to win the game, and then the penalty kick against Necaxa that would have sent Madrid into third place. McManaman and the team then returned to Spain and established themselves as the side that went all the way to the 2000 Champions League final under new coach Vicente del Bosque, who had replaced John Toshack in November. McManaman's form in the buildup saw him receive several man of the match awards, forming a strong midfield partnership with Fernando Redondo, as Madrid beat holders Manchester United and Bayern Munich to reach the final. It was at this Champions League final (played at the Stade de France, Paris) that McManaman experienced his finest hour as a player, scoring a spectacular volley in a 3–0 victory over Valencia. His performance on this greatest of club football stages saw him hailed the man of the match by the English press, a view endorsed by his Madrid team-mate Iván Helguera, and Sir Alex Ferguson, who added: "I thought McManaman was excellent...there is no question he was man of the match...He was a threat all night and gave Real great