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Is Cristiano Ronaldo a United legend? | Poll added
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We need a new word. I called my friend a legend when he pissed in a phone booth when I was hammered once.
For sure, he has a connection with the fans most United players can only dream of getting (even though he got banned for several months and retired early!) but he alone proves that it's pretty ridiculous to cite longevity as a key component to legendary status.
Just posted a similar thought in the Rooney thread.
We'll all be telling our kids about watching Ronaldo at United and the amazing player that he was. Future generations of United fans will have a fondness and knowledge of him despite never seeing him play and he will be constantly referred to when discussing the history of the club. Being a United fan in 30 years time and not knowing about Ronaldo will be akin to fans of this era not knowing about Robson, Best, Charlton, Law, Cantona etc.
How he could be considered anything other than a legend I don't know.
We'll all be telling our kids about watching Ronaldo at United and the amazing player that he was. Future generations of United fans will have a fondness and knowledge of him despite never seeing him play and he will be constantly referred to when discussing the history of the club. Being a United fan in 30 years time and not knowing about Ronaldo will be akin to fans of this era not knowing about Robson, Best, Charlton, Law, Cantona etc.
How he could be considered anything other than a legend I don't know.
Yeah a legend is a player that it is impossible to effectively tell the history of the club without mentioning that player.
To me there isn't a lot of legends only Sir Matt Busby, Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Bobby Charlton, Giggs, Scholes, Denis Law and Solskjaer because he epitomizes the Fergie Time
.Duncan Edwards is a mystical creature.
Yes because of getting him as an exceptional and raw talent and seeing him grow in the phenomenon that he became which also brought us great success including a CL. Narcissist and self absorbed cnut? Definitely...but his legend will be told round our clubs for years so yes.
The best player who the majority of the caf will have ever seen play for us, and for his last three seasons at the club was probably the best player in the world. Fired us to the champions league.
People are who think he isn't a legend is weird. Perhaps the way he treated the club on the way out wasn't the best, but look at George Best yet you wouldn't find anyone who'd say he isn't a legend.
People are who think he isn't a legend is weird. Perhaps the way he treated the club on the way out wasn't the best, but look at George Best yet you wouldn't find anyone who'd say he isn't a legend.
Yes he is.
Legends for me are players like Giggs, Scholes, Best, Charlton, Law. Players who had their best years at the club and who truly loved the club
Could it be argued though, that his legend has increased because of how good he has gone on to be? He was good for us, yes..but he's gone on to be one of the top 20 players in Football History at Madrid..And only Best and Charlton could possibly lay claim to that for players that have played for us...Thus this makes his time here look better because of what it culminated to?
Of course he fecking is
But seriously, the legend of Cristiano Ronaldo being the best player in terms of world status and playing ability to grace a Man Utd shirt in recent memory is bigger than the legend of Ronaldo at Utd. In part because of our continued success under Fergie as many other players won just as much as Cristiano and their homegrown nature and original factor softens the influence that Cristiano has in that claim.
He won everything with us in 6 years and was by far the best player the league has ever seen for me. But, being objective, to be a club legend doesn't just require excellence it also needs longevity, loyalty and a status gained through service. It's why Rooney will never be one in my eyes but that's a story for another thread on another day.
For me, Ronaldo has earned that given what he drove us to achieve and the development he went through at United and the journey we all witnessed. Even with the Real Madrid transfer sagas, at least he kept it in house. However I know my views are subjective and I can fully understand when compared to Giggs, Scholes etc how people can't accept that status.
But seriously, the legend of Cristiano Ronaldo being the best player in terms of world status and playing ability to grace a Man Utd shirt in recent memory is bigger than the legend of Ronaldo at Utd. In part because of our continued success under Fergie as many other players won just as much as Cristiano and their homegrown nature and original factor softens the influence that Cristiano has in that claim.
He won everything with us in 6 years and was by far the best player the league has ever seen for me. But, being objective, to be a club legend doesn't just require excellence it also needs longevity, loyalty and a status gained through service. It's why Rooney will never be one in my eyes but that's a story for another thread on another day.
For me, Ronaldo has earned that given what he drove us to achieve and the development he went through at United and the journey we all witnessed. Even with the Real Madrid transfer sagas, at least he kept it in house. However I know my views are subjective and I can fully understand when compared to Giggs, Scholes etc how people can't accept that status.
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Well research has shown that loving booze is a sickness apparently.. Even though Best wanted he couldn't play over the age of 26 for United, he drank way past that.. Ronaldo has had a fantastic career way past 26 and loves every minute of it without United.. Not sure Best loved much of his life after United.
Beckham
Yes I think that is entirely valid, in retrospect he did spend most of his time here gearing towards the unbelievable player we see at Madrid now so that has to tint our view seeing him hit those records every year and to be honest I, like most of you I imagine, have a little bit of almost parental pride seeing him go on to hit the numbers that he has after being brought through at our club but he still was legendary for us both in terms of what he helped us achieve and just what he meant for those years to our team and the effect it had on our rivals and their fans.
You think beckham is a legend?
I think he was comfortably the best player in the world during some of his time here and that makes it a yes for me.
Why must there be a limit on how many legends a team can have?
From the 1998-2001 side there has to be at least 10-12 players who are club legends, same with the 2006-09 side.
Those are without doubt the two most successful periods in the clubs history any player who contributed significantly to them has to be considered a legend, has to be. A club the size of United with the success we have enjoyed especially under Ferguson can easily accommodate 40-50 Legends. If we start narrowing the criteria down so that only a handful of players qualify as legends then the likes of Cantona and Schemichel wouldn't be considered legends either.
And you would have a hard convincing most United fans those two are not legends.
A home grown, treble winning, Utd fan, ever present in the most succesful period in the clubs history.... yeah.
So does the club apparently http://www.manutd.com/en/Players-And-Staff/Legends/David-Beckham.aspx
It's not a rule, you do what you want, but to me a legend is a rare compliment. I have a huge respect for the other players that I consider as great players or contributors, but legend that's something else.
Yes.
The forth player who won Ballon d'Or while playing for United. He is the only player that I have seen to be considered as the best player in the world while playing for us. It could be argued that 2007-2008 season is the best individual season of a United player, ever, or at very worst case, since Best's days.
His longevity goes a bit against it, and so I am not sure that I would put him in our top 10 players of all time, but nevertheless he is a United legend and our most/secon most talented player we have ever had.
On Madrid he reached another level, but that doesn't take out his success with us.
The forth player who won Ballon d'Or while playing for United. He is the only player that I have seen to be considered as the best player in the world while playing for us. It could be argued that 2007-2008 season is the best individual season of a United player, ever, or at very worst case, since Best's days.
His longevity goes a bit against it, and so I am not sure that I would put him in our top 10 players of all time, but nevertheless he is a United legend and our most/secon most talented player we have ever had.
On Madrid he reached another level, but that doesn't take out his success with us.
I can agree with that, I feel that he tends to be snubbed.
Yes.
He's been gone 6 years but he is still so commonly spoken about by our fans, media and everyone else in relation to his spell with us. We still sing his name every week. There is no formula or rule to qualify, the fact is, he is one of our most memorable players in recent times, and his spell with United is certainly bookmarked in the club's history. Reference is even made to 'post Ronaldo' and 'after Ronaldo left'.
He is a significant part of our story, and one of our best ever players.
He's been gone 6 years but he is still so commonly spoken about by our fans, media and everyone else in relation to his spell with us. We still sing his name every week. There is no formula or rule to qualify, the fact is, he is one of our most memorable players in recent times, and his spell with United is certainly bookmarked in the club's history. Reference is even made to 'post Ronaldo' and 'after Ronaldo left'.
He is a significant part of our story, and one of our best ever players.
Yes without doubt. Most fans wished he had stayed for longer than he did but those last couple of seasons was some of the best individual performances I have ever seen in a united shirt and he won so many trophies thanks in no small part what he bought to that team. He is undoubted a great player and has kicked on at Real to become a prolific goalscorer that is breaking record after record. If it wasn't for Messi he would be untouchable on the world stage and its thanks in some ways to the nurturing of our club that he has reached his potential, I am proud to call him a utd legend.
I follow Juventus on facebook and they do a lot of stuff about legends. I never see Zidane mentioned...
It's fine if you only consider United to have 10-15 Legends but the problem you run into there is if a team with United's history and success only have a handful of Legends then the majority of clubs will have very few if any legends at all.
No offence but personally i find the line of thinking that a club can only have a handful of legends strange, how anyone would not consider the likes of Stam, Irwin, Evra, VDS, Vidic, Ferdinand, Keane, Beckham, Scholes, Carrick, Ronaldo, Rooney, Solskjaer, Cole, Cantona etc. etc. Legends is beyond me.
Not really. Cantona peaked here, retired here and is synonymous with the club.
Ronaldo loves Real Madrid, peaked there and is synonymous with them.
Hes a Real legend. Ronaldo was great for us but hes not really a club legend.
Yes really.
Both were at the club for 6 years during very successful periods which they both contributed to greatly.
Of course Ronaldo is a United legend.
No King here?
If we can do it in tiers, I would say:
Tier 1: Sir Alex, Sir Matt, Sir Bobby, George Best, Denis Law, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes
Tier 2: Robson, G. Neville, King Cantona, Rooney, Ronaldo, Rio, Keano, Viollet
Tier 3: Irwin, Vidic, Ole, Evra, Edwards, Schmeichel, Beckham, VDS etc
Obviously, a lot depends on what people value more, loyalty or being a fantastic player. While Ronaldo didn't have the first, no player on that list - bar possibly Best - came near him as a player. He is one of the biggest reason why United started an another era of dominance, and I would guess that an entire generation of fans became United fans partially because of him. I remember the day when he debuted as much as any trophy (bar UCL) we have ever won, which tells all you need to know about it. If we'll ever have a player as good and exciting as him, it would be grand.
Edit: Most likely I have fogot some players to mention, especially those who were way before my time.
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Because I have a huge respect and affection for all the players who played for us, not seeing them as legend doesn't make them forgettable. And your list contains legends.
Fair enough i respect you have your own opinion on it.
Purely out of interest is there anyone on that list you don't consider a club Legend?
The best player in the world in Manchester Uniteds 2nd most successful season ever (League & CL 2008).
That's a Club Legend for me.
That's a Club Legend for me.
Yes.
He was the central figure in the transformation that we have made between 2003 and 2006 that gave us multiple titles and becoming the best side in Europe (until Pep took over of Barcelona).
He was the central figure in the transformation that we have made between 2003 and 2006 that gave us multiple titles and becoming the best side in Europe (until Pep took over of Barcelona).
Had a legendary spell here. Dunno. I'd see him as more iconic than legendary - he was our best player and the best player in world during a big period of success in which English football was arguably at its all time peak. A couple more seasons (without the pining to leave) would have had him down as a legend imo, but the sort of sore behaviour in his last season and the fact he's spent more 'big hitting' seasons at a different club leaves him slightly below legend for me.
An icon though, for the club and the number he wore, for sure.
An icon though, for the club and the number he wore, for sure.
They all have a good reason to be seen as legends but Ronaldo I can't, he is a Real Madrid legend, he is their icon, their legend. I see a white and purple kit when I think about him, he was great for us but he is a stranger now.
And Cantona was iconic but he isn't a legend.
He at least stuck it out as Sir Alex let the quality of our squad deteriorate for a number of years. Ronnie ran for the hills and never looked back.
Ronaldo had his antics for sure, but thats part and parcel with these prima donnas. He won the Ballon d'Or in the season we won the European Cup, you can't ask for more than that.
Speaking of Ballon d'Or winners, let's have a look at them.
1964 - Dennis Law
1966 - Sir Bobby Charlton
1968 - George Best
2008 - Cristiano Ronaldo
I'm not saying that Rooney won't go down as a United Legend by the way, I hope he does. Certainly if he can last another 5 years here and redefine his role at the club then he may go down as a legend (without any bitter taste in the mouth).
Both players leave me wanting more, but in different ways
I'll give you most of them above from an opinion point of view, but what makes Ferdinand more of a legend than Ronaldo? He's got longevity and spent his best years at the club, but he's hardly someone who would've stayed with us had we been a meddling mid-table side, for example, since people are largely citing loyalty.
/thread.
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