It's an odd one. He was sublime in 08 and great in 09, but yeah probably needed a few more years at United tbh to be considered a true legend. Shame though as he was defo on the right track to become one.
Cristiano Ronaldo - performances 2017/18
- Thread starter SirAF
- Start date
Of course he was, he won the ballon d'or here, but he went on to almost a decade of insane numbers and incredible international success, so he'll be always seen as a Madrid icon by the vast majority of neutrals.
How would people see Messi now, if he had played for let's say Juventus (just an example, regardless of their state at the time; an English rival club would distort the views) nine years ago with similar success as Ronaldo had at United and then went on to be the Barcelona legend that he is now? Which jersey would he be remembered in?
Add:
Ferenc Puskas: 622 goals from 629 club games out of which 35 scored in just 41 UCL appearances(second best rate for more than 30 goals).
Also 82 goals from 83 NT for national team.
Indeed. Pele's achievement and stats are out of this world. The only reason I don't have him as a clear number 1 (but more as a joined one with Messi) is because I think that football has evolved (for better) and like in all sports, top players are better than they were 50 years ago.
Of course, best and greatest are two different things, and probably it isn't even fair to compare players in different eras.
He isn't the first great player to have contributed for more than one club. Cruyff for example (taking into account only his achievements as a player) is primarily an Ajax legend, but he is also a Barcelona legend. Luis Figo is remembered fondly by Inter fans, despite that his best days were at Real and Barca. Zidane is probably a more difficult case, considering that he shared his best achievement between Juve and Madrid.
Ronaldo is primarily a legend of a game, and a legend of Real Madrid. He is also a legend (or close by) of Man United. Sure, primarily he will be remembered as a Madrid player cause his greatest achievement were while he played for them, but he also was a fantastic player for us, and actually won a Ballon D'Or here (and came close two other times). Less relevant, he still has more league titles for us than for Real.
He epitomizes the phrase "form is temporary, class is permanent". Great players, even when they are declining, always turn up in big games to help their team.
He decides games. And he will make the Champions League his bitch again this year I believe.
The toughest competition is the CL and he continuously destroys it. People are quick to write him off, I don't get it.
I love how posters here claim he only scores goals and thats all he ever does..... as if winning football games does not depend on putting the ball into the back of the net.
I swear it did last time I checked!
I swear it did last time I checked!
Because that difference comes from the amount of games Ronaldo played earlier on in his career as a right winger in a 4-4-2
Look at Ronaldos role now, he isn't there to create, he's there to finish.
He either runs in behind, or waits for the ball to come into the box, he's pretty much got the same role Ibrahimovic does now. If you look at all of his stats you will see his dribbles, beating players stats have dropped dramatically.
His goal output will be very high, the rest will not be, also when he passes the ball it'll be wide so he can run in the box to get on the end of it too.
I don't take it away from Ronaldo though, he's 33 years old, he is adapting, but he's not really in Balon d'Or form he's not doing it consistently across all competitions. He's in ok form since January, but the last 6 months he's not been at his best.
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"right place at the right time" as discussed above is an insanely difficult skill that many think just comes naturally. Read some of the discussion on here or general discussion on goal poaching.
Out of interest - if most people seem to suggest Ronaldo > Messi in the CL then why do more people not claim Ronaldo > Messi in the all time GOAT rankings?
In the GOAT conversation Messi seems to be ranked higher than Ronaldo by most people, yet Ronaldo is deemed to be the greater player in the CL (the premier club competition)...
Ronaldo undeniably has more big moments over a longer period of time in the CL, and has scored 4 cl final goals to messi's 2.
Also, since 2011 Messi hasn't really shone in the knockout stages apart from 2015 - thats 1 great year out of 6.
Messi is my favourite player of all time, but reflecting on these thoughts does make me wonder...
In the GOAT conversation Messi seems to be ranked higher than Ronaldo by most people, yet Ronaldo is deemed to be the greater player in the CL (the premier club competition)...
Ronaldo undeniably has more big moments over a longer period of time in the CL, and has scored 4 cl final goals to messi's 2.
Also, since 2011 Messi hasn't really shone in the knockout stages apart from 2015 - thats 1 great year out of 6.
Messi is my favourite player of all time, but reflecting on these thoughts does make me wonder...
This is a Ronaldo performance thread. Take the Messi comparisons to the Ronaldo v Messi thread.
Messi hardly plays as an out and out striker either though. He probably spends more time in midfield than anywhere else. Also, he too used to be used primarily as a winger.
That difference comes from the amount of games Ronaldo played early in his career compared to Messi, no matter the position they were playing in
I totally enjoyed watching his performance yesterday. He played with a heightened desire against a well invested team. He had to show up or he will be in the papers.
You ain't wrong. See Messi and his freekicks...
This, a CL 3-peat beats the WC.
Otherwise Gerd Muller and Puskas would be hailed as better than Maradona and Cruyff.
Just imagine scenario if it was Messi with 4 cl in 5 years ( with 3 in row )
People would be calling CL bigger than WC and already dismissing Ronaldo and put Messi as greatest ever
If Ronaldo wins CL this year with similar contribution like last year , that should give him edge over Messi . CL is clearly a level where you can judge them than national team .
There is clear gap beteeen 2 national teams so kind of unfair to compare though they both have been performing exceptionally for NT teams as well.
Argentina NT > Portugal NT that gives Messi more chance than Ronaldo at WC
@The holy trinity 68 jesus how obsessed are you with Ronaldo? As a mod mentioned before this is the Ronaldo thread so again stop being so insecure.
So true.
Quit turning this into a comparison thread vs. Messi.
I most certainly does. Winning the CL three times in a row is basically the stuff of Football Manager..
The CL 3-peat is only done a few times in the history of the game, the WC is won every 4 years.
and never in modern history!
Ask Ronaldo if he'd prefer to win the WC or this year's CL and he'd 100% take the World Cup.
He was pretty good in the 2006 WC but another good to great performance in the World Cup is the only thing missing from his career. He only has 3 WC goals which is pretty poor.
He was pretty good in the 2006 WC but another good to great performance in the World Cup is the only thing missing from his career. He only has 3 WC goals which is pretty poor.
Against PSG, CR7 touched the ball 40 times, 10 shots on target, 2 goals
Neymar touhed the ball 84 times, 0 goal
Neymar touhed the ball 84 times, 0 goal
That's all and good, important question here's, how many times Lukaku touched the ball?
To be fair, the first comment I replied to was a comment saying Ronaldo is the best ever. Surely saying a player is the best ever is pretty much asking for comparison and debate.
Also saying “stop being insecure” is hilarious. I am not the one getting all defensive and whingey about the debate.
@Cal?
I think I agree 3peat beats WC but I can’t imagine any players agreeing, surely it’s the pinnacle and Ronaldo would swap his last two CL for it
I think I agree 3peat beats WC but I can’t imagine any players agreeing, surely it’s the pinnacle and Ronaldo would swap his last two CL for it
I'm not sure about that, the star player of any team that's done a CL 3-peat are basically rated among the very greatest players ever, the same cannot be said of the World Cup:
Real 56-60 (Di Stefano)
Ajax 71-73 (Cruyff)
Bayern 74-76 (Beckenbauer)
World Cup winners get rated some highly only if they are perceived to have dragged an underwhelming team to the trophy or won it multiple times.
I feel that a World Cup win completes his puzzle more than a 3peat, and probably lends more to his argument for being the GOAT.
Ronaldo made a succesful tackle and you could tell he enjoyed it a little. Unseen for years!
Still let‘s not overreact, it was a penalty goal and a reflex tap in. Speed, freekicks (!!!), dribbling and clinical finishing is mostly gone.
Still let‘s not overreact, it was a penalty goal and a reflex tap in. Speed, freekicks (!!!), dribbling and clinical finishing is mostly gone.
Rumor has it there’s a thread just for that.
I'm not sure if you've ever played football but the best player on the team was usually the one deciding games.
Last time I checked, the thing that decides games is the goal past that line and into the net.