Same. I'm long time lurker in the caf because of him. I've followed him during his career, in the up and downs and it's incredible what he has achieved. I remember the Pennant comparison threads, the Rooney is better than Ronaldo threads and the hatred Arsenal fans had towards him during the heated United vs Arsenal rivalry. I have to admit it has been amusing seeing him shut up the critics over and over again. I just wish he remained at United instead of going to Madrid. Their fans don't appreciate him the way United fans did.
Cristiano Ronaldo - performances 2017/18
- Thread starter SirAF
- Start date
Same. I'm long time lurker in the caf because of him. I've followed him during his career, in the up and downs and it's incredible what he has achieved. I remember the Pennant comparison threads, the Rooney is better than Ronaldo threads and the hatred Arsenal fans had towards him during the heated United vs Arsenal rivalry. I have to admit it has been amusing seeing him shut up the critics over and over again. I just wish he remained at United instead of going to Madrid. Their fans don't appreciate him the way United fans did.
Without disrespect to the few good Madrid fans I always found it incredible how Madrid fan can boo a player like Ronaldo who had done so much for them and won so many games and trophies for them . At United had he stayed or even returned he would be treated like an outright King.
It's the cultural aspect with some. Here in Portugal Real Madrid and Barcelona are top and then come the rest. I always prefered english football and culture, so i prefered that Ronaldo stayed at United. But i understood his will to prove himself in Spain. He achieved everything at United but he could have turned into a real legend.
Don’t get me wrong I fully understand why he went to Madrid they are looked at as the “Yankees” of soccer everyone knows Real Madrid they are the “biggest” club in the world and he wanted to go there and conquer it. He very well Conquered Madrid I would say and proved him self despite all the haters and even down 1-4 in balon d or his drive is unmatched . My last wish is that he returned to Sporting to retire.
Unfortunately that won't happen mate. He will probably go to the MLS or something. He has that Hollywood wish. But if it was up to Dona Dolores he would definitely retire here
He had said that was his dream so let me dream aha. With Bruno De Carvalho at the helm I think it’s possible though unlikely.Unfortunately that won't happen mate. He will probably go to the MLS or something. He has that Hollywood wish. But if it was up to Dona Dolores he would definitely retire here
The majority of the abuse he has received has come from people who want Madrid to do bad, which is quite a big portion and there are probably more madrid antis than actual fans.
When he first came he wasn't so different from the player he was at United but back then his detractors would use the argument of him being outscored, not winning trophies with his team, no ballon d'or, etc. to descredit him as a player and nowadays is seemed everything has switched but it wasn't Madrid supporters who started that trend and personally I've always appreciated as he's one of the best professionals out there in any sport.
From 2003 to ~2006 only Cristiano and Ronaldinho could fill the gap that Rivaldo's fall from grace in football left me with.
That's why I always go rabid when people say that Ronaldo covered his lack of talent with hard work, he was as talented as any other guy could be, he just chose his own way of playing the sport.
From 2003 to ~ 2006 Ronaldinho was world class, a few levels above Ronaldo. Ronaldo started to get to those levels during 2006/07 While Ronaldinho started his rapid decline.
That Roma game was immense and especially for Ronaldo, he scored his first CL goal in that game and in a way announced his arrival to the European top.
Ronny!!! @SirAF
Viva
The greatest goal scorer of all time.
Gerd Muller says hello.
What a legend.
King of CL
CL GOAT
CL GOAT
I have only watched maybe a dozen games start to finish but I have noticed that he appears to look like he is more of a team player. His pass to carvajal was good to see, normally he wouldn’t even get a chance to overlap because Ronaldo would have gone for goal.
Is that the general consensus @carvajal @Vato
Is that the general consensus @carvajal @Vato
Hope Madrid get city next and Ronnie to knock them out 
I can’t stand him and completely wrote him off earlier this season, but what a king.
Corrected
The last few seasons have taught me to only write him off when he retires.
There is absolutely no way you get to this level without a shitload of talent. It was obvious at the start of his career as you said. I assume people point to all that hard work as he really is a freak in that sense. You have so many players with the huge amount of talent, but never turn it into something and on the other hand, you have him, who with such enormous talent also decided to work like crazy.
He is also a smart player. Despite what I point out yesterday about him being far more exciting before, he definitely managed to extend his career at the highest level by adapting his game and turning more into this goalscoring machine we have today.
There’s always one waiting to embarrass himself.
A few wrong passes today and compared to the first leg he didn't work defensively at all so it wasn't a great game. He can do better than that but at the end of the day he's always there making it count.
12 CL goals so far this season, scored in every single game and it's already tied for the 5th best goalscoring season in CL history. Not going to be easy but he's 5 away from matching the record.
12 CL goals so far this season, scored in every single game and it's already tied for the 5th best goalscoring season in CL history. Not going to be easy but he's 5 away from matching the record.
Makes the CL his bitch AGAIN.
Yes, I would say that comparing it with years ago he has changed a bit
I love how Messi vs Ronaldo debates come around every once in a while. Over the past few years it's become clear to me that you can't compare them. They're both masters in their own realm. Ronaldo looks like he will play AT THE SAME LEVEL till he is 50, it's insane.
Correct, he even let Benzema take a penalty while he was on a hat trick last week!
Great to see him like this, it looks like he's enjoying football more now aswell. Less complaining about teammates passes etc.
Fantástico.
I have the utmost respect for him as a goalscorer. He did nothing else in the game tonight, got one chance and buried it. Ruthless. As always.
Peaking at the right time as usual.
Yea embarrassing myself for calling Gerd Muller the greatest goal scorer of all time
Yea embarrassing myself for calling Gerd Muller the greatest goal scorer of all time
Gerd is a touchy subject in this thread.
Talk of Ronaldo and Real's decline have ever so slightly been over played.
A guy at work was telling me how ex players never do well at their previous club. He used Zidane as an example, clearly basing it just on this year.
He did win the last 2 European cups I gently pointed out..
"yeah, but"
but what?
A guy at work was telling me how ex players never do well at their previous club. He used Zidane as an example, clearly basing it just on this year.
He did win the last 2 European cups I gently pointed out..
"yeah, but"
but what?
Correct, it’s fantastic to see.
Hes simply the best ever IMO he has won every major honor (bar the wc) and has shattered every record. They used to say " which ever one finally wins a major tournament will decide who is better" (between Messi and Ronaldo). He has won the EURO and a back to back CL winner if he wins it and dominates the competition for a 3rd time then I believe the debate truly is dead and buried. Saying that I would like to point out that I respect Messi A lot and he is Top 3 EASY along with Ronaldo. Regardless of a WC win or not its harder to judge Ronaldo on it because he plays for Portugal and the host of talent between them and Argentina has always been bigger. Lastly Ronaldo is a monster he truly is and its a joy to have an era consisting of two monsters of the game like Messi and Ronaldo, When they finally retire we will all realize the luxury it was to watch them.
That's pretty much his game tbh.
You're forgetting he had a great deal of involvement in the winner.