Ruud van Nistelrooy's return sparks Internet interest

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After missing three months of the season through injury, van Nistelrooy's return to action has come as a welcome boost for English Manchester United, and has seen him shoot to the top of the monthly search stats on Megasoccer.com. Football fans worldwide were keen to find facts on the prolific Dutch forward, which made his comeback as a substitute in United's 1-0 defeat to AC Milan at Old Trafford last month. Though he has yet to score since returning to first-team action, the 28-year-old is confident he can add to his impressive European goal tally in Tuesday's return leg at the San Siro and help United through to the quarterfinals once again. van Nistelrooy was the most searched-for figure on the football search engine in February, with his manager Sir Alex Ferguson a close second, which will certainly please Manchester United's major sponsors Vodafone, who agreed a deal to promote their services on Megasoccer.com last month. Michael Flynn, C.E.O. of Fast Web Media - the company behind Megasoccer.com - said: “It’s testament to the importance of the player that Ruud's return has created so much interest among fans online, and it will be interesting to see what impact he can have on the remainder of the season. The latest figures also underline Manchester United's stature in world football, as Megasoccer users from around the globe continue to search for the best sites relating to their favourite figures from the club." Top Ten Searches on Megasoccer.com in February 2005: Ruud van Nistelrooy, Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Frank Lampard, Luis Figo, Steven Gerrard, Rafael Benitez, Arjen Robben, Jose Mourinho, Roy Carroll.