Ronaldo vs Ronaldo

Cal?

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The two seasons you've mentioned, at Barcelona and Inter. Where both teams weren't even in the CL so how do expect him to win it? But guess what, they did win the European competitions they were in.

It's a very thin gap between them, and of course it comes down to your preferences, but for me, L.Ronaldo was the better player.
He also failed to win the league in either of those seasons.

Anyway, we can agree to disagree, personally, Luiz's best ever season compares to Cristiano's worst in the last decade or so.
 

Stocar

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It's the Portuguese for me, due to his consistency and incredible goal scoring record. Yes, Brazilian Ronaldo was a more complete player, and unplayable at his peak. He was also often playing in set ups that didn't provide much support compared to super teams of today, relying more on individual brilliance.

But numbers don't lie. I also don't buy the argument about defenses being better back then. They were more conservative, but not necessarily better, and defenders weren't scrutinized to such a degree as today. Classic poachers also thrived at the time, and I find it hard to believe that C. Ronaldo wouldn't break records if he played back then.

But the argument about Ronaldo not winning Champions league being the proof that he wasn't really that good is laughable. And it's a good example how wins in cup competitions shouldn't be used as a measure of player's quality.
 

Kamprad

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No question R7 has the better career and peak. These guys are the opposites in term of fulfilling potential. R7 has better than anyone fulfilled his potential and made the most of his talent. He was on absolute top even during games against bad opposition. Thats why he couldn’t surprise anyone and go up a level or two in big games. The defenders knew what was coming and could neutrilize him easily. Thats the only negative thing in his career.

On the other hand R9 wasn’t even close to do that although his talent was bigger than anyone ive seen. Too bad his knees got in the way. Still my favourite player of all time due to those years before the injuries. You could how he took steps almost every game and it was just a matter of time until he was the best ever. Unfortunately that didn’t happen.
 

youngrell

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He also failed to win the league in either of those seasons.

Anyway, we can agree to disagree, personally, Luiz's best ever season compares to Cristiano's worst in the last decade or so.
And as you know, he wasn't playing for CL teams during those seasons so clearly not the best team in the league, but was the driving force to both finishing second in the league.

And it's not a great barometer to bring up when C.Ronaldo himself managed only 2 league wins in 9 at RM.
 

Peyroteo

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You really don't think that was a foul? I don't see how it can't be considered a foul.
Never a penalty is too extreme, I can see why there were people calling for it but I wouldn’t have given it.

Hardly ‘one of the biggest robberies of the 90s’ as he was calling it.
 

Shinjch

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Never a penalty is too extreme, I can see why there are people calling for it but I wouldn’t have given it.

Hardly ‘one of the biggest robberies of the 90s’ as he was calling it.
Fair enough I suppose without the hyperbole. I wouldn't be happy if United didn't get a penalty for that tonight anyway.
 

Cal?

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And as you know, he wasn't playing for CL teams during those seasons so clearly not the best team in the league, but was the driving force to both finishing second in the league.

And it's not a great barometer to bring up when C.Ronaldo himself managed only 2 league wins in 9 at RM.
Barcelona finished 10 points ahead of Real (who won La Liga in 96-97) the season before he joined and won the league the season after he left.

Anyway, we're not going to convince each other, let's just leave it at this.
 

youngrell

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Barcelona finished 10 points ahead of Real (who won La Liga in 96-97) the season before he joined and won the league the season after he left.

Anyway, we're not going to convince each other, let's just leave it at this.
:) enjoy the game tonight!
 

11101

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Top goalscorers in Serie A for Juve this season...

Cristiano Ronaldo - 18
Mandzukic - 8
Dybala- 2

Not that far away from Inter’s 97/98 :lol:

In the 1997/98 season R9 scored or assisted 47% of all Inter goals in Serie A, in 2017/18 Cristiano has scored or assisted 50% of all Juventus goals in Serie A. Is he playing with a shit team too then? That’s just not the right way to look at it.

Also, robbery? That’s never a penalty... perfect refereeing. I’d love to know your opinion on the 2011/12 La Liga run in if you believe that R9 sequence in 1998 was impressive.
You're kidding, right? That would literally be a penalty in rugby let alone football.

Knowing what we know now about Serie A, that game is a fairly obvious case of bent refereeing.
 

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You're kidding, right? That would literally be a penalty in rugby let alone football.

Knowing what we know now about Serie A, that game is a fairly obvious case of bent refereeing.
Mate that would be a penalty in a UFC fight :lol:
 

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It’s funny, I think that when people eulogize about what Ronaldo could have become, it probably looks a lot like what Cristiano ultimately became and still is.
 

shamans

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Are you blind or something?

Over prime years period of 4 years:

Ronaldo scored 229 goals, Messi scored 244 goals

Suarez scored 152 goals, Kane 135 goals, Griezmann scored 166 goals, Salah scored 98 goals

How is it not night and day difference? You think 70-80 goals difference in span of 4 years not night and day? It took them at least 6 prime years to reach Ronaldo/Messi 4 years goal amount, or 4 to 5 prime years to match Ronaldo/Messi 3 years, or 3-4 prime years to match Ronaldo/Messi 2 years.

Its fecking huge.

(by percentage there is around 30-40% gap difference)


Now, let's be fair, lets look at R9 era and do the same prime years comparison:

R9
96-97: 47 goals in 49 games
97-98: 34 goals in 47 games
03-04: 31 goals in 48 games
02-03: 30 goals in 44 games
Best 4 years total: 142 goals in 188 games

Henry
03-04: 39 goals in 49 games
05-06: 33 goals in 45 games
01-02: 32 goals in 49 games
02-03: 32 goals in 55 games
Best 4 years total: 136 goals in 198 games

Ruud
02-03: 44 goals in 52 games
01-02: 36 goals in 49 games
06-07: 33 goals in 47 games
03-04: 30 goals in 44 games
Best 4 years total: 143 goals in 193 games

Etoo
10-11: 37 goals in 53 games
08-09: 36 goals in 52 games
05-06: 34 goals in 47 games
04-05: 29 goals in 45 games
Best 4 years total: 136 goals in 197 games.

Now, tell me, with your eyes opened, where is the gap? There's no fecking gap at all there! They have all scored similar amount of goals in their prime years!

(by percentage there is near to 0% gap difference)

The problem is you're posting stats and figures and backing up your claims with actual proof vs "ahhhhhh Ronaldo el phenomenon. Messi and Cristiano combined wohldnt be half as good".

Even at his peak CR7 and Messi are head and shoulders above him. They are better at ability and they are better statistically.
 

shamans

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Mark my words, 10 years from now when both Messi and CR7 are retried this debate will be laughed at. People don't value what they have right now and romanticize the past.
 

Peyroteo

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You're kidding, right? That would literally be a penalty in rugby let alone football.

Knowing what we know now about Serie A, that game is a fairly obvious case of bent refereeing.
What? It’s not a penalty, Ronaldo throws himself into the defender to force the contact. Couldn’t be further away from an obvious decision.

And even with a draw they wouldn’t have won the league anyway, finished 5 points behind in the end.
 

breakout67

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There is this weird thing going on whenever Christiano is involved, you'll have a bunch of posters act as if post-30 Christiano was his whole career being a top player. Ronaldo in his prime was a freak of nature, under Mourinho and Ancelotti, you could make a goal of the season shortlist with just his goals.
 

Enigma_87

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Never a penalty is too extreme, I can see why there were people calling for it but I wouldn’t have given it.

Hardly ‘one of the biggest robberies of the 90s’ as he was calling it.
Seriously if that is not a foul in the box what is it? He was bodychecked with the ball nowhere near. Nowadays you get penos for slightest of contacts truly odd thing to say.
 

cjj

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He's all of those things! Had he not turned into a machine, at the expense of some entertainment value, I'd bet some people's opinions would be different.

I'm not saying he's better than fat Ronaldo though. That's really an impossible decision.
Based on the couple of times this has been misunderstood, it's worth elaborating - Cristiano has had to work very hard, and had to be very disciplined, to reach the level he has, whilst simultaneously being lucky with injuries.

RdL was an unbelievable player before his injuries, and there's a huge distinction with some players when you compare the quality of the career to the quality of the player. Some lads work really hard to be 'World Class' and others are seemingly 'World Class' due to their natural ability (which is RdL vs CR, imo). Sometimes wonder what naturally gifted players like Best, Hoddle, Gascoigne and so on would have been like with this century's approach to football and an athlete's lifestyle.
 

MrEleson

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Cristiano has had to work very hard, and had to be very disciplined, to reach the level he has, whilst simultaneously being lucky with injuries.
I'd say he's worked extremely hard to maintain the level for as long as he has but not necessarily to reach that level. He always had the talent to be the best IMO and was already the best by the time he was 22..
 

cjj

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I'd say he's worked extremely hard to maintain the level for as long as he has but not necessarily to reach that level. He always had the talent to be the best IMO and was already the best by the time he was 22..
I don't understand how someone could have seen RdL play up until he was that age and speak of anyone, especially Cristiano, being anywhere near his level. He was unbelievable up until his knees went in his early 20's. I don't think any description can do him justice. At 20 he had it all - strength, skill, speed, composure; he was scoring goals like this:



By 22, RdL had consistently won nearly (if not every) individual award a player could be given, some of them multiple times. A different player after his injuries, though.
 

Christie

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From Wikipedia:

Best 4 years before injury:
1994–95 Eredivisie 36 games/35 goals
1995–96 — 21 games/19 goals
Barcelona 1996–97 La Liga 49 games/47 goals
Inter Milan 1997–98 Serie A 47games /34 goals
1998–99 28 games/15 goals

Total: 135 goals in 153 games
GPG in peak 4 years: 0.88

That seems like head and shoulders above the 0.75 the other top strikers have put up in the same time period isn't it? All from mid 90s to late 90s.
Was about to post Batistuta's peak seasons to get some Serie A flavor

Batistuta

1999-00: 29 goals in 44 games
1994-95 : 28 goals in 37 games
1995-96 : 27 goals in 39 games
1998-99 : 26 goals in 37 games

Total: 110 goals in 157 games

GPG in peak 4 years : Batistuta - 0.70, R9 - 0.75

Hope even the most die-hard R9 fans will not claim that Batistuta played in world class sides against shit defense.

Shearer

1995-96 : 37 goals in 48 games
1994-95 : 37 goals in 49 games
1993-94 : 34 goals in 48 games
1996-97: 28 goals in 40 games

Total: 136 goals in 185 games

GPG in peak 4 years: 0.74.

Anelka, Cole, Vieri are anyway never in the conversation of the elite forwards.Not sure why you want to include them in the analysis.

If we are only going by the "goals scored" metrics, I am unable to see how R9 was even "head and shoulders above" his peers, forget CR7 and messi.

From Wikipedia:

Best 4 years before injury:
1994–95 Eredivisie 36 games/35 goals
1995–96 — 21 games/19 goals
Barcelona 1996–97 La Liga 49 games/47 goals
Inter Milan 1997–98 Serie A 47games /34 goals
1998–99 28 games/15 goals

Total: 135 goals in 153 games
GPG in peak 4 years: 0.88

That seems like head and shoulders above the 0.75 the other top strikers have put up in the same time period isn't it? All from mid 90s to late 90s.


I don't understand what the other guy is posting about with his gap difference, maybe I'm poor at stats, but I don't think he has any idea what he is talking about.
 

RedRonaldo

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From Wikipedia:

Best 4 years before injury:
1994–95 Eredivisie 36 games/35 goals
1995–96 — 21 games/19 goals
Barcelona 1996–97 La Liga 49 games/47 goals
Inter Milan 1997–98 Serie A 47games /34 goals
1998–99 28 games/15 goals

Total: 135 goals in 153 games
GPG in peak 4 years: 0.88

That seems like head and shoulders above the 0.75 the other top strikers have put up in the same time period isn't it? All from mid 90s to late 90s.



From Wikipedia:

Best 4 years before injury:
1994–95 Eredivisie 36 games/35 goals
1995–96 — 21 games/19 goals
Barcelona 1996–97 La Liga 49 games/47 goals
Inter Milan 1997–98 Serie A 47games /34 goals
1998–99 28 games/15 goals

Total: 135 goals in 153 games
GPG in peak 4 years: 0.88

That seems like head and shoulders above the 0.75 the other top strikers have put up in the same time period isn't it? All from mid 90s to late 90s.


I don't understand what the other guy is posting about with his gap difference, maybe I'm poor at stats, but I don't think he has any idea what he is talking about.
You have no idea what stats you looking at. I won't count his stats in Holland at all. Yes he was amazing there, but lots of darn average players have insane stats there over the years. It probably meant nothing.

Examples: (all these players and stats are during R9 active years in football)

Machlas
97:98: 34 goals in 32 games
(went to Spain once, only score 2 goals there...)

Kezmann
02-03: 40 goals in 43 games
03-04: 38 goals in 43 games
(he only managed to score 7 goals a season in England)

Alves
06-07: 37 goals in 38 games
(he only managed to score 6-7 goals a season in England)

Kuyt
04-05: 36 goals in 44 games
(he only manage to score 11-15 goals a season in England)

Huntelaar
07-08: 36 goals in 45 games
(he only manage to score 7-8 goals a season in La Liga/Serie A)

If you insist on counting those stats from lower league, then not only R9 stats increase, many other average players stats would increase too, the gap between them will remain same, or worst.
 
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Rito

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From Wikipedia:

Best 4 years before injury:
1994–95 Eredivisie 36 games/35 goals
1995–96 — 21 games/19 goals
Barcelona 1996–97 La Liga 49 games/47 goals
Inter Milan 1997–98 Serie A 47games /34 goals
1998–99 28 games/15 goals

Total: 135 goals in 153 games
GPG in peak 4 years: 0.88

That seems like head and shoulders above the 0.75 the other top strikers have put up in the same time period isn't it? All from mid 90s to late 90s.



From Wikipedia:

Best 4 years before injury:
1994–95 Eredivisie 36 games/35 goals
1995–96 — 21 games/19 goals
Barcelona 1996–97 La Liga 49 games/47 goals
Inter Milan 1997–98 Serie A 47games /34 goals
1998–99 28 games/15 goals

Total: 135 goals in 153 games
GPG in peak 4 years: 0.88

That seems like head and shoulders above the 0.75 the other top strikers have put up in the same time period isn't it? All from mid 90s to late 90s.


I don't understand what the other guy is posting about with his gap difference, maybe I'm poor at stats, but I don't think he has any idea what he is talking about.
Sorry, i won't count Dutch league stats for measuring greatness. Plenty of average footballers have racked up insane stats there.
I have only considered the top European leagues for a fair comparison.
 

dumbo

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Potential: Ronaldo
Peak: Ronaldo
Career: Ronaldo
Longevity: Methuselah
Being a twat: Cristiano
 

cjj

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You have no idea what stats you looking at. I won't count his stats in Holland at all. Yes he was amazing there, but lots of darn average players have insane stats there over the years. It probably meant nothing.

Examples: (all these players and stats are during R9 active years in football)

Machlas
97:98: 34 goals in 32 games
(went to Spain once, only score 2 goals there...)

Kezmann
02-03: 40 goals in 43 games
03-04: 38 goals in 43 games
(he only managed to score 7 goals a season in England)

Alves
06-07: 37 goals in 38 games
(he only managed to score 6-7 goals a season in England)

Kuyt
04-05: 36 goals in 44 games
(he only manage to score 11-15 goals a season in England)

Huntelaar
07-08: 36 goals in 45 games
(he only manage to score 7-8 goals a season in La Liga/Serie A)

If you insist on counting those stats from lower league, then not only R9 stats increase, many other average players stats would increase too, the gap between them will remain same, or worst.
I'm not sure you'll gain any credit whatsoever by simply listing the poor examples, whilst ignoring the players that excelled :confused:

A plethora of players have been excellent in Eredivisie, and left to be as good or better in La Liga, PL and Serie A. It's like you're saying RdL wasn't brilliant because Kuyt wasn't :rolleyes:
 

RedRonaldo

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I'm not sure you'll gain any credit whatsoever by simply listing the poor examples, whilst ignoring the players that excelled :confused:

A plethora of players have been excellent in Eredivisie, and left to be as good or better in La Liga, PL and Serie A. It's like you're saying RdL wasn't brilliant because Kuyt wasn't :rolleyes:
Don't mis-read and misinterpreted my post, all I am saying is that we cant use the stats from lower league to compare with top league for fair comparison. Doesn't mean the players aren't good if they play excellence in lower league. Hypothetically speaking, Messi in division 3 is still Messi. But some random guy name Bill who score 40 goals in division 3, surely you can't use the same stats to compare that with Messi stats in La Liga, in deciding who is the better goalscorer type of discussion. But when Salah score 40 goals in Premier league, yes you can use that.
 
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Christie

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Even if you take away the Dutch seasons, Ronaldo has a gpg average of 0.77, better than other strikers of his time.

He is had and shoulders ahead of the rest.
 

cjj

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Don't mis-read and misinterpreted my post, all I am saying is that we cant use the stats from lower league to compare with top league for fair comparison. Doesn't mean the players aren't good if they play excellence in lower league. Hypothetically speaking, Messi in division 3 is still Messi. But some random guy name Bill who score 40 goals in division 3, surely you can't use the same stats to compare that with Messi stats in La Liga, in deciding who is the better goalscorer type of discussion. But when Salah score 40 goals in Premier league, yes you can use that.
You realise that when Ronaldo was playing in the Eredivisie, Ajax were the literally the best team in Europe? It wasn't a weak league back then.

It's a bit of a joke that you seem to think that "Messi stats in La Liga" is by some means not a bloke playing in a weak league, though.
 

dangler

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I don't know if anyone that have watched both play could say that Cristiano is better.
It's not all about stats or breaking records. It's what Ronaldo could do and the way he did it and the way it made you feel watching him do it.

It was beautiful and unmatched by any other footballer.
 

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The argument that defenses were better and more conservative back then is valid up to a certain point. What I don't understand is if defenses today are weaker which makes it easier to score to a certain degree, why hasn't anybody else put up close to the kind of numbers Messi and Ronaldo have in the same era. No other player has even come close to their peak numbers, shouldn't it be easier to score for everybody else too?
 

cjj

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The argument that defenses were better and more conservative back then is valid up to a certain point. What I don't understand is if defenses today are weaker which makes it easier to score to a certain degree, why hasn't anybody else put up close to the kind of numbers Messi and Ronaldo have in the same era. No other player has even come close to their peak numbers, shouldn't it be easier to score for everybody else too?
La Liga is still a weak league in terms of its depth. Lots of good defenders and prolific strikers come from that league and look terrible in the PL.
 

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I will risk it now and say; for us who watched original Ronaldo through his whole career, there is only one Ronaldo. :cool:
I don't care here for stats, titles and everything. Ronaldo was better player than Cristiano. Cristiano of course had better career.
 

Andycoleno9

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The argument that defenses were better and more conservative back then is valid up to a certain point. What I don't understand is if defenses today are weaker which makes it easier to score to a certain degree, why hasn't anybody else put up close to the kind of numbers Messi and Ronaldo have in the same era. No other player has even come close to their peak numbers, shouldn't it be easier to score for everybody else too?
At that time Barca and Real were not miles and miles away from the rest of league like they are in Messi and Cristiano era. Also today refs protect best players. You touch Ronaldo or Messi and it is yellow.