The comprehensive Ronaldo thread

Oranges038

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He doesn’t at all. Ronaldo was much better technically, better physically, *5 strong foot, Weak foot, hearing ability and at his prime probably just as a fast as Mbappe considering he trained with Usain Bolt.

The only thing Mbappe has over Ronaldo is that he’s French which means he has much higher chances of winning international trophies.
Faster than a Bugatti Veyron too.

 

Invictus

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I’m not doubting how good he was, I rate Laudrup as one of the best ever.
Neither are in the discussion for top 5.
Cruyff is definitely in the discussion for Top 5, to be fair — when you consider what he did at Ajax (transformed from minnows to European heavyweights), in terms of advancing the game as a player (perfecting the offensive fundamentals laid by the likes of Sindelar, Hidegkuti or di Stéfano in the preceding decades), and spearheading the Netherlands with one of the most outstanding individual and collective performances in the 1974 World Cup (which remains one of the benchmarks of international football, to the present day). His high ratings are not retroactive or just from “hipsters” (whose views should be summarily discarded according to some), but leading sporting publications from back in the day, regardless of national affiliation or biases. Messi and Cristiano obviously carry significant historical heft, and have disturbed some of the these long-standing orders, but the general point remains — Cruyff is very much in the discussion for Top 5-ish of all time for global football (and Top 3 of all time for Europe, along with other worthy candidates like Cristiano, Beckenbauer, Puskás and Platini).
World Soccer's Top 100 Players Of All Time
1. Pelé (Brazil)
2. Diego Maradona (Argentina)
3. Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
4. Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)
5. Michel Platini (France)
France Football's Football Player of the Century
1. Edson Arantes do Nascimento "PELÉ" (Brazil)
2. Diego MARADONA (Argentina)
3. Johan CRUYFF (Netherlands)
4. Alfredo DI STEFANO (Argentina/Spain)
5. Michel PLATINI (France)
Guerin' Sportivo's I 50 Grandi del Secolo by Adalberto Bortolotti
1. Pelé
2. Diego Armando Maradona
3. Alfredo Di Stefano
4. Johan Cruijff
5. Giuseppe Meazza
Placar's 100 Craques do Século
1. Édson Arantes do Nascimento - PELÉ (Brazil)
2. Diego Armando MARADONA (Argentina)
3. Johann CRUYFF (Netherlands)
4. Manoel Francisco dos Santos - GARRINCHA (Brazil)
5. Franz BECKENBAUER (Germany)
IFFHS World Player Of The Century
1. "Pelé" (Brazil) 1705 (Edson Arantes do Nascimento)
2. Johan Cruijff (Netherlands) 1303
3. Franz Beckenbauer (Germany) 1228
4. Alfredo di Stéfano (Argentina) 1215
5. Diego Armando Maradona (Argentina) 1214
 

B20

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Di Stefano played his last game almost 60 years ago.
Safe to say, anyone under the age of 80 doesn’t really have a clue there.
Cryuff gets better with every year of his retirement, has now become an extremely popular hipster choice. In reality he’s on a level with the likes of Michael Laudrup, an absolutely incredible and influential footballer, but absolutely not in the list of the top 5 best players ever.
Nah. Cruyff sat tidily as the best european player ever before Cristiano Ronaldo.
 

B20

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Cruyff is definitely in the discussion for Top 5, to be fair — when you consider what he did at Ajax (transformed from minnows to European heavyweights), in terms of advancing the game as a player (perfecting the offensive fundamentals laid by the likes of Sindelar, Hidegkuti or di Stéfano in the preceding decades), and spearheading the Netherlands with one of the most outstanding individual and collective performances in the 1974 World Cup (which remains one of the benchmarks of international football, to the present day). His high ratings are not retroactive or just from “hipsters” (whose views should be summarily discarded according to some), but leading sporting publications from back in the day, regardless of national affiliation or biases. Messi and Cristiano obviously carry significant historical heft, and have disturbed some of the these long-standing orders, but the general point remains — Cruyff is very much in the discussion for Top 5-ish of all time for global football (and Top 3 of all time for Europe, along with other worthy candidates like Cristiano, Beckenbauer, Puskás and Platini).
Ouch. Black arctic rectum has been steamrolled with this one.
 

B20

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Mate, he trained with Usain Bolt. THE Usain Bolt. He trained with him. Usain Bolt. If that doesn't make him faster than Usain Bolt then I don't think I understand how training works.
:lol:
 

Gehrman

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Cruyff is definitely in the discussion for Top 5, to be fair — when you consider what he did at Ajax, in terms of advancing the game as a player, and leading the Netherlands with one of the most outstanding individual and collective performances in the 1974 World Cup. Not just from “hipsters” (whose views should be summarily discarded according to some), but leading sporting publications, regardless of national affiliation or biases. Messi and Cristiano have disturbed some of the these long-standing orders, but the general point remains — Cruyff is a very much in the discussion for Top 5-ish of all time (and Top 3 of all time for Europe, along with other worthy candidates like Cristiano, Beckenbauer, Puskás and Platini).
Thought so. I read that Cryuff has the 2nd most assists in history just short of Puskas as well.
 

B20

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I am genuinely gobsmacked that anyone tried for the hot take that Cruyff, who had the joint most Balon D'ors before Messi/CR7 arrived, was "not in the discussion for top 5" of all time.
 

JPRouve

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I am genuinely gobsmacked that anyone tried for the hot take that Cruyff, who had the joint most Balon D'ors before Messi/CR7 arrived, was "not in the discussion for top 5" of all time.
I'm more surprised by the idea that his reputation increased when it's quite obviously the opposite. Ironically, it's the most "hipster" view shared on this forum in a while.
 

Eriku

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I am genuinely gobsmacked that anyone tried for the hot take that Cruyff, who had the joint most Balon D'ors before Messi/CR7 arrived, was "not in the discussion for top 5" of all time.
Tied for most outlandish claim of the thread along with "Ronaldo catapulted United into global fame"
 

FriedClams

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I am convinced that he will score an important goal in this World Cup. And that’s all it’ll take for the narrative to shift back to him being the most clutch player of all time.

his performances this season wouldnt be getting ridiculed as much if he was conducting himself in an orderly manner. He’s just a massive bellend.
 

Gehrman

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I am convinced that he will score an important goal in this World Cup. And that’s all it’ll take for the narrative to shift back to him being the most clutch player of all time.

his performances this season wouldnt be getting ridiculed as much if he was conducting himself in an orderly manner. He’s just a massive bellend.
He'll dive and score a penalty in the final
 

Bosnian_fan

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It's ridiculous what world has turned into.

This is sad to see.


Of course, idiot Piers would put a positive spin onto it. I'm sure all these photographers were just heeding advice from their editors. feck the game, feck football, we need Ronaldo. It's not about the game, it's about Ronaldo.
 

TsuWave

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Why are people trying to boil Ronaldos game down to numbers? He isn’t a great player because of his numbers but he is numbers are great because he was an out of his world footballer. You’d think he was Inzaghi the way people are talking here. The man was Mbappe and Haaland combined in his prime, a physical and footballing freak of nature.
They always do this and act like Ronaldo was just numbers, as if the guy isn’t one of the most gifted that ever played. It’s such a ridiculous take.
 

Invictus

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I am genuinely gobsmacked that anyone tried for the hot take that Cruyff, who had the joint most Balon D'ors before Messi/CR7 arrived, was "not in the discussion for top 5" of all time.
Aye, that did seem like a bit much. Plus, there are sooo many Cruyff matches in public circulation now (more than 40 on Footballia alone, including major tournaments and finals), as well as relatively detailed statistics (which highlight his goal scoring prowess as well as supreme creative genius):



Even a casual fan of the sport can bask in the glory of several days' worth of footage, if they choose to. Laudrup was a incredible player in his own right — flawed but outrageously talented, and one of the icons of football in the latter portions of the 20th century; no one should dispute that — however, he shouldn't ever be placed in the same tier as Cruyff (who was a completely different kettle of fish).
 

Yakuza_devils

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His ego was too big. It was a big surprise for him when he failed to get a move away from Man Utd in the summer. No big clubs wanted him. He refused to train all summer confident of getting himself a new club. But when he failed he came back to the team and created all sort of dramas before he was sacked by the club.

Now he was also dropped by Portugal coach. I wonder if he is regretting now getting himself sacked by Man Utd. Not sure which club is willing to take him now with such problematic character and drama surrounding this 37 years old.
 

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It's ridiculous what world has turned into.

This is sad to see.


Of course, idiot Piers would put a positive spin onto it. I'm sure all these photographers were just heeding advice from their editors. feck the game, feck football, we need Ronaldo. It's not about the game, it's about Ronaldo.
Yup I felt the same too.

It's pretty obvious stuff like this is why he feels so emboldened to do things like walk away from his celebrating team mates down the tunnel or walk off before the final whistle.

If you have a personality (disorder?) that makes it easy to believe that the team should revolve around you and then the world's media treats you like this it pretty much confirms your suspicions.
 

Gehrman

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Aye, that did seem like a bit much. Plus, there are sooo many Cruyff matches in public circulation now (more than 40 on Footballia alone, including major tournaments and finals), as well as relatively detailed statistics (which highlight his goal scoring prowess as well as supreme creative genius):



Even a casual fan of the sport can bask in the glory of several days' worth of footage, if they choose to. Laudrup was a incredible player in his own right — flawed but outrageously talented, and one of the icons of football in the latter portions of the 20th century; no one should dispute that — however, he shouldn't ever be placed in the same tier as Cruyff (who was a completely different kettle of fish).
As a dane, Michael Laudrup was my favourite footballer growing up and I still rate him as one of the most naturally talented footballers ever, but Cryuff was the embodiment of the total footballer. Laudrup didnt really tackle much or defend and he tried to avoid aerial duels and heading the ball much because he was afraid of damaging his brain. He was one of the most graceful playmakers ever though and his highlight reel is incredible but Cryuff is in a tier above.
 

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It really is dumb.

Totally ignoring the 60s European Cup. Busby babes etc. Not to mention SAF and the 1990s.
Or the obvious fact that Ronaldo used Manchester Uniteds world wide fame (as well as his outrageous talent) as a platform to catapult himself to superstardom.

In the early part of his career United contributed far more to Ronaldo's fame than Ronaldo did to Uniteds.
 

Shai-Hulud

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I don't like the guy and am glad he's left our club, but in that video of him walking off I see a guy who is clearly quite emotional trying to hold it together.

The glee everyone is taking in his downfall makes me really uncomfortable, it's a shame we can't rise above it. As far as the club is concerned now he's history so let's move on.

As for all the 'banter' Twitter accounts they can get fecked. Run by losers who have probably never achieved anything in their life who were probably doing Phil Jones memes until the world woke up and realised it's a shitty thing to publicly mock people who are struggling.
PR37 has brought the 'struggle' upon himself. Getting some shit in return is just karma.
 

Eckers99

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They always do this and act like Ronaldo was just numbers, as if the guy isn’t one of the most gifted that ever played. It’s such a ridiculous take.
This cuts both ways as Ronaldo's biggest fans are often the first to parrot off a list of stats when talking up his greatness.
 

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This cuts both ways as Ronaldo's biggest fans are often the first to parrot off a list of stats when talking up his greatness.
Yeah if you take away the stats then his all-round play doesn't stack up against the likes of Pele, Maradona and Messi (The guys who usually lead the GOAT conversation).

Ive seen much less of Cruff/ Platini and Laudrup than a lot of people here but from the little I've seen their technique and passing etc were superior too.

If you offered me peak R9 or CR7 I would go with R9 every single time but I can't say that as a reason why he's better than CR7 because statistically (longevity and achievements) CR7 dominates him.

The one area where I could confidently put Ronaldo up against some of the GOATS would be heading ability/ aerial dominance where I genuinely believe he was one of the greatest.
 

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Why are people trying to boil Ronaldos game down to numbers? He isn’t a great player because of his numbers but he is numbers are great because he was an out of his world footballer. You’d think he was Inzaghi the way people are talking here. The man was Mbappe and Haaland combined in his prime, a physical and footballing freak of nature.
Yes, why do they do it.

Looking at the pure numbers and facts it is literally harder to bet against it then for it.
 

Gehrman

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Yeah if you take away the stats then his all-round play doesn't stack up against the likes of Pele, Maradona and Messi (The guys who usually lead the GOAT conversation).

Ive seen much less of Cruff/ Platini and Laudrup than a lot of people here but from the little I've seen their technique and passing etc were superior too.

If you offered me peak R9 or CR7 I would go with R9 every single time but I can't say that as a reason why he's better than CR7 because statistically (longevity and achievements) CR7 dominates him.

The one area where I could confidently put Ronaldo up against some of the GOATS would be heading ability/ aerial dominance where I genuinely believe he was one of the greatest.
I think Ronaldo at his peak had very good set of attributes. Like a good passer and crosser, just he didnt pass like best ever at it, was a good(some seasons great) dribbler just not as good as the best ever at it etc. Was great at freekicks which for some reason declined massively at some point, but he was a incredibly well rounded forward who delivered all the goals he promised. If you watch all his assists for Man Utd and Real Madrid they were pretty good too. Not the best of the best, but defintely good.
 

KeanoMagicHat

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Yeah the idea that Cruyff’s reputation has gone up as he got older is laughable in fact I believe at one point before Maradona he was in regular conversations as the best player ever with Pele, and my dad’s generation, one of the first players he would have told me about was Cruyff.

Won the European Cup three times and to boil down his games for Barcelona to just goals is wrong, I watched him play a game for Barcelona and what a game it was to behold, he kept picking the ball up at the back and deep midfield and driving at the opposition with brilliant dribbling on a shite pitch, he was pretty much running the whole game, like Modric now with peak Messi direct dribbling. Everything went through him and he was a class above. Ronaldo could never do that, for example.
 

RacingClub

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I think Ronaldo at his peak had very good set of attributes. Like a good passer and crosser, just he didnt pass like best ever at it, was a good(some seasons great) dribbler just not as good as the best ever at it etc. Was great at freekicks which for some reason declined massively at some point, but he was a incredibly well rounded forward who delivered all the goals he promised. If you watch all his assists for Man Utd and Real Madrid they were pretty good too. Not the best of the best, but defintely good.
Yeah don't get me wrong I'm not saying he wasn't good (in fact he was great), just that for him to be In contention for the best ever label his in game performances have to be "subsidised" (not the right word really but just continuing on from.the statistical conversation) with his statistical achievements because on a technical level I don't believe hes in a top 10 (personally).