Let's move on: who wants to create the threads Laudrup* vs Laudrup** and De Boer*** vs De Boer***???
* Michael
** Brian
*** Ronald
**** Franck
* Michael
** Brian
*** Ronald
**** Franck
Ronaldo vs Ronaldo
- Thread starter altodevil
- Start date
I wouldn’t count 94 in his column, really. He didn’t get any minutes, did he?
Being the top WC goalscorer for a few years is a nice one, too, though.
True. As such, Titus Bramble would give them a run for their money.
Cristiano did not really impress during the Euro. It was Portugal's Euro, not Cristiano's.
Also, the All Stars tag can be used to describe Cristiano's Real Madrid.
Unfortunately his peak is really kind of short when compare with Cristiano. It was like comparing Ronaldinho to Messi, Ronaldinho may have higher peak in some people eyes or guts, regardless of numbers (he has won both WC, CL and league titles, his dribbling, skills and flair was more eye-catching and entertaining), but career-wise it was no match at all.
Truth is Brazilian Ronaldo has had around 4 truly world class year (1996, 1997, 1998, 2002), Cristiano has had at least around 12 of those (from 2007 to 2018). That's huge difference. Brazilian Ronaldo has won Ballon D'or twice in his career (and 2nd place once), Ronaldo has won 5 times (and 2nd place 6 times). Thats country mile difference.
If you talking about peak only, right Brazilian Ronaldo at his short peak is breathtaking to watch, score a lot of goals, and some of his solo goals are amazing, but it just didn't last long. On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo at his peak is also amazing, maybe you lots have already forgotten how good he was when he was around 23 to 27, score all kind of goals, 50-60 goals per season is a just norm for many seasons, lots of tricks, great technique, electrifying pace, amazing long shots, non-stop running down the flanks, unstoppable in counter attack move too. He basically revolutionise and re-define the goalscoring wing forward role on his own, in similar fashion of Beckenbauer for the libero role, or Cruyff in total football role. (or Messi in goalscoring playmaker role)
Injury could have destroy the fat one, but same thing could be said of Bale(the new Ronaldo) or Jones(the new Edwards) too. But he still have a pretty good career, and reach short period of peak where very few in football history could have match (only Maradona peak is clearly better perhaps, others are at least comparable), but his career is just not close to GOAT one.
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Too one-sided, though, Michael and Franck win easily.
However, Andy Cole vs Ashley Cole would be quite something
You can’t criticise Ronaldo for playing in Spain and scoring against poor opposition, when Fat Ronaldo played for both Barcelona and Madrid, and would therefore have done the same - Spain has always been a two horse league (the vast vast majority of the time at least).
CR7 for me. He reached his vast potential while Fenomeno was exceptional without being the very best for long enough.
I'm up for Clattermole vs Clattenburg
I'm up for Clattermole vs Clattenburg
The Brazilian Ronaldo was very fun to watch and, in my opinion, the best player in history with the ball at his feet.
But Cristiano is something else. To stay on top for 15 season is extraordinary, the same with Leo.
But Cristiano is something else. To stay on top for 15 season is extraordinary, the same with Leo.
The difference between Barca/Madrid and the rest wasn't as big in the 90s/early 00s.
Sure, Spanish league had some really awful teams at the bottom back then, but the upper half was closer together.
After Messi, Ronaldo Fenomeno is the most naturally gifted talent I've ever seen. His peak is over almost everyone, incluiding CR7 in my eyes.
Being both in top form, I'd pick R9 every day.
Now Career wise, you have to pick CR7.
Being both in top form, I'd pick R9 every day.
Now Career wise, you have to pick CR7.
Don't really get the dig with Cristiano's team mates in RM, you're saying Louis Ronaldo played with worse players ? I don't get this point. And I'm not saying Ronaldo won it himself or anything, just the Cup win itself.
R9 he was playing against the best defenders of all time, and won the WC, in their career the competition was MUCH higher than the CR7 will be in their history (srry for my english)
Peak goes to the Brazilian. On his day he was incredible. I'd even have that Ronaldo ahead of Messi. Had Mbappe levels of pace, Messi levels of dribbling, Ronaldinho levels of control and Cristiano level of physical power.
The only reason people say that Brazilian Ronaldo had a better peak is because at his peak he was head and shoulders above everyone. Not a single attacker was better than him nor competing with him & nearly all defenders could not handle him.
However - the only reason C. Ronaldo is said to not have a peak like Ronaldo is because he didn't have that clear cut competition. C. Ronaldo's peak coincided with Messi & for that reason I'm sure that even to a small degree that his peak is deemed to be lower than Brazilian Ronaldo's who was up there by himself ruling the world for a couple years all alone.
If C. Ronaldo was playing the way he was but without Messi in his shadow - then Ronaldo's peak would be determined to be deadly - as there was hardly a defence that can stop him even to this day whilst no attackers competed with him.
However - the only reason C. Ronaldo is said to not have a peak like Ronaldo is because he didn't have that clear cut competition. C. Ronaldo's peak coincided with Messi & for that reason I'm sure that even to a small degree that his peak is deemed to be lower than Brazilian Ronaldo's who was up there by himself ruling the world for a couple years all alone.
If C. Ronaldo was playing the way he was but without Messi in his shadow - then Ronaldo's peak would be determined to be deadly - as there was hardly a defence that can stop him even to this day whilst no attackers competed with him.
Ok... I never said "Ronaldo's performances" or "Ronaldo won it" or anything. The Cup win it self in which he captained the Portugal team.
No, I am saying that the quality of teams they played in should not be used to play down their successes. Not R9's World Cup and not Ronaldo's Champions Leagues.
In fact, Maradona with Argentina and Napoli is among the rare examples of a top class player genuinely carrying a team to glory. And many will say that even that is a false narrative (meaning that Maradona's team mates were not as bad as they are made out to be).
Yea not quite sure if there’s anything to add to OP - not much of a debate there.
Messi vs Ronaldinho?
Messi vs Ronaldinho?
I love the fat Ronaldo but..come on. Their is only one winner and a clear winner here and it is the real Ronaldo...Cristiano Ronaldo.
Career wise definitely C.Ronaldo.
We had an amazing team at the time mate. Come on. Fenomeno never played alongside such world class names in every line and bossed by one of the best managers in history. He carried teams on his own in disjointed teams at his peak.
I mean when can you see 4 managers to be swapped in a course of a season anymore?
Never argued that career wise Cristiano is better. Of course he is. However in terms of peak you put Fenomeno in any of those Real, Juve or United teams and will tear it up 50-60 goals per season. In the last 10 years and after Rio/Nesta waned, you can't really make a case of any defender stopping him, especially considering the super teams he would walk into.
People forget what monster of a player he was early on:
^^ this is 17 years old Ronaldo against Leverkusen in the UEFA cup.
I assure you that I haven't forgotten how good Cristiano was, but to me, watching them both at their absolute peak, Cristiano never reached those levels..
These threads are so predictable, full of people suggesting your opinion is flawed because of nostalgia and romanticism, it's trite. You can be just as biased analyzing players because they're recent, just go and read. Anyone can see people have a bias for newer stuff.
Anyway it's Cristiano mostly because of consistency and goal record, I don't think he is a more talented player than L.Ronaldo though, plus I think the way he came back after injury, the world cup, harder opponents counts for him too. But in the end you can't beat being as good for as long as Cristiano has.
Anyway it's Cristiano mostly because of consistency and goal record, I don't think he is a more talented player than L.Ronaldo though, plus I think the way he came back after injury, the world cup, harder opponents counts for him too. But in the end you can't beat being as good for as long as Cristiano has.
Fair point but the gap between the top and the middle teams has widened massively in the last 15 years. Back then the league was far more competitive than it is now.
This debate is a joke. I swear the amount bald Ronaldo gets praised sometimes is so ridiculous. Are you only going to compare peaks of players now? Even in that case, think of what a peak CR7 could do. Everything the Brazilian could do and more.
I get that Ronaldo was a childhood icon for many of us but let's not get carried away.
I get that Ronaldo was a childhood icon for many of us but let's not get carried away.
See, that I agree with!
Without Ronaldo they wouldn't be in the Euros or even get to the finals.
We never even got to see R9s peak unfortunately.
We might have to disagree on this one mate.
Sure I grow up watching Brazilian Ronaldo. At his peak he was breathtaking to watch, people even said at that time he has the potential to match Pele and Maradona. But thing is, people nowadays only remember the best part of past greats, and conveniently ignore all those meh performances he has had. I have watched many average performances from Brazilian Ronaldo throughout his career too. For example, I still remember Ruud and Henry, imho, was clearly better forward than Brazilian Ronaldo in large part of his career. Let's not pretend it didn't happen.
If we all remember Michael Owen only in his early 20's, and forget the remaining large part of his career, he is an amazing player too.
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Nobody for me has ever gotten close to Brazilian Ronaldo when he was young. The man was a sheer force of nature. When he came back from the second knee injury he wasn't the same player yet he still managed to be brilliant at the World Cup and had two great seasons at Madrid winning a Pichichi before he got fat and starting picking up more injuries due to that.
Cristiano's career far outweighs the other though and he's been unstoppable for a long period of time himself. His peak is higher because he's been to the top and maintained it but we'll never know what Brazilian Ronaldo could've been and that's a genuine shame. We absolutely didn't get to see peak O Fenômeno.
Cristiano's career far outweighs the other though and he's been unstoppable for a long period of time himself. His peak is higher because he's been to the top and maintained it but we'll never know what Brazilian Ronaldo could've been and that's a genuine shame. We absolutely didn't get to see peak O Fenômeno.
Messi and Ronaldo are the two best of all time due to their unrivalled longevity, consistency over all those seasons (in the last 12 years there is not one season for either player that you’d describe negatively) and trophy hauls.
So my answer is Cristiano.
So my answer is Cristiano.
They both have in common that they were stopped from achieving greater things.
L. Ronaldo when he fecked up his knees, could have been even better.
C. Ronaldo when he fecked off to Madrid, could have been one of my favourite players but he blew that away.
L. Ronaldo when he fecked up his knees, could have been even better.
C. Ronaldo when he fecked off to Madrid, could have been one of my favourite players but he blew that away.
At their best I would take Luis Ronaldo every time. He was an incredible talent, not far off Messi's level of ability
Ronaldo is better than Ronaldo imo.
Christ, can’t debate past players without a drove of people going on
about how it’s nostaliga. Seems to happen in nearly every thread about past players.
about how it’s nostaliga. Seems to happen in nearly every thread about past players.
Fat Ronaldo’s career achievements are very similar to someone like Klose’s, and not at all on the same level as Cristiano’s.
R9 and Klose both have 2 league titles, 0 CL wins, 1 WC win (fatty played 0 minutes in 1994), were WC silver medalists and WC top scorers. In fact Klose has more WC goals in total.
When you shave off the myth, he’s just a Klose with stepovers.
R9 and Klose both have 2 league titles, 0 CL wins, 1 WC win (fatty played 0 minutes in 1994), were WC silver medalists and WC top scorers. In fact Klose has more WC goals in total.
When you shave off the myth, he’s just a Klose with stepovers.
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