Cristiano Ronaldo

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He's regularly making a tangible impact in the big games, even if he isn't running the show. Scoring very regularly against Barca now, scored in both legs against United, 2 goals against Bayern in the semis, scored against Dortmund away on 2 seperate occassions, winner against City.. Great record against Atletico, pretty much any team he's faced in the CL but I imagine many wont qualify for the "big game" agenda.

He can range from match winner to anonymous but that can apply to almost every player. What sets him apart is consistency over a season (and from season to season) as well as productivity.
 
We've already had this discussion in the newbs about how he doesn't turn up for big games (Jaffy and I), so I would much rather sit back and watch this one unfold.
 
JaffyJoe said:
Too an extent, not that he never turns up in big games but too often he is on the edge of them. A player as good as him should be in the thick of it. Last season was no exception.
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JaffyJoe said:
Balu is echoing some of my feelings towards Ronaldo, also too often in the bigger games for me he doesn't show up. He will carry the day against the mediocre teams but when Madrid need him to put the team on his back he struggles. An amazing goalscorer but that isn't enough for me.
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None of this is true. The only big games he didn't turn up for last season were the Borussia Dortmund ones.
 
I think Ronaldo has dispelled the he's not a big match player myth. Even during Euro 2012, he was brilliant for Portugal and he's excelled against Barca and majority of teams he's come up against in CL. His general play can be quite awful in certain big matches which didn't use to be the case when he was younger, he was entertaining even against the best sides but his goal-scoring record speaks for itself.
 
Raees said:
I think Ronaldo has dispelled the he's not a big match player myth. Even during Euro 2012, he was brilliant for Portugal and he's excelled against Barca and majority of teams he's come up against in CL. His general play can be quite awful in certain big matches which didn't use to be the case when he was younger, he was entertaining even against the best sides but his goal-scoring record speaks for itself.
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Yes, one has to agree with that. Ronaldo has a great track record in big matches/events by now - he did very very well during Euro 2004 at the age of 19 as well.
 
MoneyMay said:
None of this is true. The only big games he didn't turn up for last season were the Borussia Dortmund ones.
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Opinion I guess, he really didn't play that well against us for me and the Dortmund tie was Real's two biggest games of the season, he just struggles when the game is tighter. That is what I mean by him being on the edges of games, once he gets his goal he is not very active within these kinds of games. Before Nani went off we had seen very little Ronaldo at OT. I respect his goalscoring ability but his ability to stay involved in the biggest matches and make his side tick, is not on the level of say Zidane, Messi or even Ronaldinho in his prime. Ronaldo is not a great big game player. His best games have always been against the lesser teams. He has been an amazingly consistent player over the years but....
 
The thing that grates with me is that Ronaldo will mostly be remembered for his time at Real Madrid when he has won far more with us including his only Champions League and Ballon d'Or. He might win a Champions League but I don't think he'll win another Ballon d'Or.
 
JaffyJoe said:
Opinion I guess, he really didn't play that well against us for me and the Dortmund tie was Real's two biggest games of the season, he just struggles when the game is tighter. That is what I mean by him being on the edges of games, once he gets his goal he is not very active within these kinds of games. Before Nani went off we had seen very little Ronaldo at OT. I respect his goalscoring ability but his ability to stay involved in the biggest matches and make his side tick, is not on the level of say Zidane, Messi or even Ronaldinho in his prime. Ronaldo is not a great big game player. His best games have always been against the lesser teams. He has been an amazingly consistent player over the years but....
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Can't disagree with that but in that context I'd say even Messi hasn't reached Zidane levels.
 
Raees said:
Can't disagree with that but in that context I'd say even Messi hasn't reached Zidane levels.
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I disagree with this. Messi has eclipsed Zidane in many ways. He's scored more goals, assists more, is more consistent, and more efficient. The only thing Zidane over Messi is that he performed brilliantly in major tournaments for France. Thus far, Messi hasn't been able to do that. However, contrary to popular belief, Messi had a good 2010 World Cup and has been consistent for Argentina since the beginning of 2012.

JaffyJoe, I'll reply to your post when I'm home, but there's not much we disagree on.
 
MoneyMay said:
I disagree with this. Messi has eclipsed Zidane in many ways. He's scored more goals, assists more, is more consistent, and more efficient. The only thing Zidane over Messi is that he performed brilliantly in major tournaments for France. Thus far, Messi hasn't been able to do that. However, contrary to popular belief, Messi had a good 2010 World Cup and has been consistent for Argentina since the beginning of 2012.

JaffyJoe, I'll reply to your post when I'm home, but there's not much we disagree on.
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Agreed but stick to just big games in the international and CL context. Zidane trumps him for now.
 
Raees said:
Agreed but stick to just big games in the international and CL context. Zidane trumps him for now.
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Don't think Zidane was any more outstanding in the CL context than Messi to be fair.
 
Raees said:
Agreed but stick to just big games in the international and CL context. Zidane trumps him for now.
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True, but I'd still have Messi ahead in CL context. His performance in the UCL (2011) final was probably the best display to be put in such an event. He's also had great games vs. every big club in the CL, apart from Chelsea and Inter Milan.
 
Fergus' son said:
Aside from that? Messi's vs Madrid in the semis was on a par with that IMO, he has more than one final goal, and has demolished numerous other teams too.
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I was just arguing for the sake of arguing. :)

I don't really care about which is better than the other to be honest, I hate player v player comparisons, I don't really see the value of them.
 
Zidane was very good at big games but he was very inconsistent throughout an entire season, at Juve and even at Real there were always big spells during a season where he wasnt anything special and failed to make an impact. Great player but also overrated cause hes mostly judged by his performances in big games, like in the 98 World cup where he was average the entire tourney but then he scores two goals in the final and thats all people remember, it was the same during an entire season where his performances in big games made people forget his sub par performances in many games during the season.

Great Player but IMO Messi and Ronaldo are better and more consistent than him, i also think Platini and not him is the greatest french player ever.
 
Fergus' son said:
Don't think Zidane was any more outstanding in the CL context than Messi to be fair.
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MoneyMay said:
True, but I'd still have Messi ahead in CL context. His performance in the UCL (2011) final was probably the best display to be put in such an event. He's also had great games vs. every big club in the CL, apart from Chelsea and Inter Milan.
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I agree with both of you, but I said CL & Internationally... WC 1998, Euro 2000 & WC 2006... his record speaks for itself as a big match player. Very difficult to find players throughout history who can match the quality of his CL & international record combined. Messi has done nothing of note in the international stage, he needs at least one good WC.. i.e. be a star even if Argies go on to lose to prove he's a better big match player overall. I rarely saw Zidane tactically shut out of a game.
 
It is true, Zidane has had both a fantastic CL and International career; not many players can boast that sort of success. Agree with Raees here, until Messi lights up the WC, Zidane is above him in terms of success in both of these competitions.
 
In terms of consistency Messi AND Ronaldo trump Zidane, but in terms of the biggest games Zidane is one of the great performers, Messi too. I just don't thin Ronaldo has or will ever reach that level.
 
Ah yes, the classic Ronaldo doesn't do it in the big games debate. If only he'd ever scored in a Champions League final, El Clásico or World Cup? That debates been well and truly put to bed. Cristiano Ronaldo is the second greatest footballer ever.
 
There's a programme on Ronaldo on ITV4 at 10pm tonight. Not sure if it's been shown before?
 
Kid Cunto said:
Ah yes, the classic Ronaldo doesn't do it in the big games debate. If only he'd ever scored in a Champions League final, El Clásico or World Cup? That debates been well and truly put to bed. Cristiano Ronaldo is the second greatest footballer ever.
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If you say so sir.... We are all welcome to our opinions. Personally for me he is not a great big game playr. To often on the edge when his team needs him.
 
All I would say is this: In the past 3 years, in most of the big games Madrid have played in, they would have been at a loss without him. He really is such an important player.
 
This programme has a good insight into his physical and technical training. He was a monster, as if we all didn't know already.
 
Kid Cunto said:
Ah yes, the classic Ronaldo doesn't do it in the big games debate. If only he'd ever scored in a Champions League final, El Clásico or World Cup? That debates been well and truly put to bed. Cristiano Ronaldo is the joint greatest footballer ever.
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True. Also, fixed a bit as per my opinion ;)
 
JaffyJoe said:
If you say so sir.... We are all welcome to our opinions. Personally for me he is not a great big game playr. To often on the edge when his team needs him.
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And you wouldn't care about his goal record in big games?
 
NM said:
And you wouldn't care about his goal record in big games?
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I said in my first post, he is an amazing goalscorer. But like Lampard when he isn't scoring (which is more often in bigger games) his influence is lacking. He scores so much it has hard to make my point to some, I just feel outside his goals his play lacks in the bigger games. He is not a BAD big game payer by any means, but when comparing him to the very best (which is who he should be compared too) he hasn't done as much.
 
His biggest asset is his dedication to hs craft, an example to everyone really.
 
Fergus' son said:
Is English not your first language?
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I'm sorry, I'm still laughing from your ridiculous post.

"An example to everyone", yes, an arrogant, insanely wealthy footballer is an example to everybody. I hope in African schools they show videos of Cristiano Ronaldo to children with "BE BETTER" written on the blackboard behind it.
 
Cina said:
I'm sorry, I'm still laughing from your ridiculous post.

"An example to everyone", yes, an arrogant, insanely wealthy footballer is an example to everybody. I hope in African schools they show videos of Cristiano Ronaldo to children with "BE BETTER" written on the blackboard behind it.
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To be fair, you didn't get the meaning behind his post or are choosing to ignore it. The way Ronaldo evolved from a gangly kid who did tricks to one of the best in the world SHOULD be an example to most. His dedication to his craft. Make sense now? He wasn't always insanely wealthy you know?
 
Cina said:
I'm sorry, I'm still laughing from your ridiculous post.

"An example to everyone", yes, an arrogant, insanely wealthy footballer is an example to everybody. I hope in African schools they show videos of Cristiano Ronaldo to children with "BE BETTER" written on the blackboard behind it.
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Comes from a ridiculously poor background, work hard every day to make something of his life and becomes one of the best footballers in the world, and never lets go of the hard work that got him where he is.

I think that's a great example to people.
 
NM said:
To be fair, you didn't get the meaning behind his post or are choosing to ignore it. The way Ronaldo evolved from a gangly kid who did tricks to one of the best in the world SHOULD be an example to most. His dedication to his craft. Make sense now? He wasn't always insanely wealthy you know?
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Bollocks I didn't. It was a hilarious post.
 
NM said:
To be fair, you didn't get the meaning behind his post or are choosing to ignore it. The way Ronaldo evolved from a gangly kid who did tricks to one of the best in the world SHOULD be an example to most. His dedication to his craft. Make sense now? He wasn't always insanely wealthy you know?
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Indeed, NM.
 
You're being wilfully obtuse, Cina. The lads are talking about his professionalism, which is acknowledged by everyone he's ever worked with. His dress sense, taste in cars etc. is an entirely different conversation.
 
Still ill said:
You're being wilfully obtuse, Cina. The lads are talking about his professionalism, which is acknowledged by everyone he's ever worked with. His dress sense, taste in cars etc. is an entirely different conversation.
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Oh come on, "an example to everyone", Cristiano feckin' Ronaldo, an example to EVERYONE!
 
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