The comprehensive Ronaldo thread

[Eddy_JukeZ]

It's actually incredible how poorly he thought this through.

He's damaged his image/rep with so many United fans.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

I agree.

If he ends up at Madrid, Chelsea or whatever and plays an important role in getting to a CL final, then I'll accept things worked out better for him

But if he ends up struggling to find a club suitable for him, as it seems due to his demands and regression, then that was just idiotic.

I think/hope he looks back at it in a few years and realises he fecked up forcing his exit

I'll be completely stunned if any CL club signs him.

He is completely cooked as a CL-level player honestly.

 

[Code_Red]

CR7's peak as an all-round player was 2007/2008. 42 goals from the wing and hefty contributions in open play. He's never been better than this season.

His early days at Madrid were also amazing, but he regressed as an all-round footballer from about 2012.

This, to put it bluntly, was down to the Messi rivalry. In his absolute mid-20s physical prime, CR7 could carry the extra muscle weight/BMI and be both a surging, powerplay winger bounding over defenders, and a significant goalscorer at the same time, but he couldn't do both into his late 20s and 30s.

One part of his game had to go. He could have kept the wing play, in which case he'd have had a similar career to Gareth Bale. Spectacular but increasingly injury prone and inconsistent.

Or trim up to an absolute scientifically ideal BMI and concentrate pretty much solely on fewer touchers on the ball, inviting less fouls, getting into the box through the middle when teammates are in possession, and pure longevity.

He chose the latter and ... yeah ... chose well. But it came at a price. He's not got the otherworldly football ability of a Messi (or a Maradona or a Pele, and some others to boot). Even in his absolute 2007-2011 prime he was an incredible power athlete with a box of tricks and insatiable hunger for goals.

His output puts him in the top 5 ever, no doubt. Whether he's number 2 or number 5 depends on how you weight his abilities over time.

He had to change his game from 2014 due to chronic knee issues which was made worse by choosing to play at the World Cup. It’s become a myth among United fans that he peaked in 08/09 when he has surpassed the output in that season multiple times at Madrid before 2014. His 2013-2014 season was insane, he was the complete forward capable of scoring any type of goal.

Ronaldo doesn’t get enough credit for the way he has re-invented his game multiple times especially considering how his dominance against defenders was largely based on pace, dribbling and his absurd shooting range. To still sustain his G+A output after all those attributes were damaged is remarkable.

 

[Andy_Cole]

because he's acted like a twat recently

Agreed but he’s unarguably had one of the best careers of any footballer.

 

[Deco10Legend]

Never liked his selfishness and arrogance despite being Portuguese. I doubt any big club will want him, he is not producing anymore and his behaviour doesn't do him any favours.

For example, Pepe is one of the worst a**holes ever on the pitch, but outside he is usually humble, has been benched several times at Porto and never had a meltdown or anything just because he is an European Champion and has multiple CL. He knows he is old and will probably end is career at Porto and stay there in some capacity.

Ronaldo could have done the same at united.

 

[RedRonaldo]

CR7's peak as an all-round player was 2007/2008. 42 goals from the wing and hefty contributions in open play. He's never been better than this season.

His early days at Madrid were also amazing, but he regressed as an all-round footballer from about 2012.

This, to put it bluntly, was down to the Messi rivalry. In his absolute mid-20s physical prime, CR7 could carry the extra muscle weight/BMI and be both a surging, powerplay winger bounding over defenders, and a significant goalscorer at the same time, but he couldn't do both into his late 20s and 30s.

One part of his game had to go. He could have kept the wing play, in which case he'd have had a similar career to Gareth Bale. Spectacular but increasingly injury prone and inconsistent.

Or trim up to an absolute scientifically ideal BMI and concentrate pretty much solely on fewer touchers on the ball, inviting less fouls, getting into the box through the middle when teammates are in possession, and pure longevity.

He chose the latter and ... yeah ... chose well. But it came at a price. He's not got the otherworldly football ability of a Messi (or a Maradona or a Pele, and some others to boot). Even in his absolute 2007-2011 prime he was an incredible power athlete with a box of tricks and insatiable hunger for goals.

His output puts him in the top 5 ever, no doubt. Whether he's number 2 or number 5 depends on how you weight his abilities over time.

That's not necessarily true.

His performance up to season 14-15 are still at the very peak level. Sure he has trim off his dribbling bit by bit every year and was no longer the tricky goalscoring wing wizard he once was, but there are many other aspects of his game which are still among his absolute top peak during those years. His average rating was also at all time high during that season.

Ronaldo
09-10: 33 goals 8 assists, 8.39 avg rating, 3 dribble, 2.44 key pass (injured for couple of months)
10-11: 53 goals 16 assists, 8.23 avg rating, 2.33 dribble, 1.95 key pass
11-12: 60 goals 15 assists, 8.32 avg rating, 2.15 dribble, 1.8 key pass
12-13: 55 goals 12 assists, 8.10 avg rating, 1.73 dribble, 1.9 key pass
13-14: 51 goals 14 assists, 8.38 avg rating, 2.25 dribble, 1.7 key pass
14-15: 61 goals 21 assists, 8.48 avg rating, 1.65 dribble, 2 key pass

Think about it, average rating of 8.48 is absolutely at insane performance level. To give some better perspective, lets compare Mbappe at Ligue 1 in recent years, he only has around 7.95 avg rating, even only playing at farmers league. That's how crazy Ronaldo was in terms of his performance level, even during 14-15 season.

Mbappe
21-22: 39 goals 21 assists, 7.98 avg rating, 3.12 dribble, 1.87 key pass
22-23: 19 goals 5 assists, 7.95 avg rating, 2.15 dribble, 1.7 key pass (halfway through season)

 

[do.ob]

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Can add Eintracht Frankfurt to the list of clubs that turned him down.

 

[Bosnian_fan]

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Can add Eintracht Frankfurt to the list of clubs that turned him down.

This is insanity, I have only seen such levels of delusion with gambling addicts.

 

[Tarrou]

Agreed but he’s unarguably had one of the best careers of any footballer.

nobody has ever disputed that

 

[Ayoba]

WTF is recency bias?

 

[Sandikan]

I’ll never get my head around a 37 year old acting out like Ronaldo has since the Summer. I mean, I get he’s a massive narcissist, but feck me, he was at a club where the fans love him, and on a massive contract, and he’s 38 years old in February. There’s never been a 37 year old in history that’s a guaranteed starter at a top club.

It’s just so incredibly braindead.

Yep, it's this completely.

He'd still have started plenty here because Martial is so unreliable, and everyone else is better wide.
The extra recovery in between games would also have helped him too.

The other thing to remember is he started on the bench because he'd left himself short of match fitness by messing in the summer too.

The smart call was staying here for the rest of the season, scoring another say 8-10 goals, helping the young lads with a lot of smiles and thumbs ups, and then jetting off into the sunset with everyone's best wishes for a last couple of seasons rinsing whoever is the top dollar league by then.

 

[RuudTom83]

It's actually incredible how poorly he thought this through.

He's damaged his image/rep with so many United fans.

Yeah its an epic fail from his entire team. I had no ill feeling towards him for going to Madrid, but his actions over the last 12 months have severely damaged my opinion of him.

Started during the summer, and its got worse and worst, the ego of the guy must have put his downfall entirely on United, the only club willing to give him a contract.

Now his only option is the middle east.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

That's not necessarily true.

His performance up to season 14-15 are still at the very peak level. Sure he has trim off his dribbling bit by bit every year and was no longer the tricky goalscoring wing wizard he once was, but there are many other aspects of his game which are still among his absolute top peak during those years. His average rating was also at all time high during that season.

Ronaldo
09-10: 33 goals 8 assists, 8.39 avg rating, 3 dribble, 2.44 key pass (injured for couple of months)
10-11: 53 goals 16 assists, 8.23 avg rating, 2.33 dribble, 1.95 key pass
11-12: 60 goals 15 assists, 8.32 avg rating, 2.15 dribble, 1.8 key pass
12-13: 55 goals 12 assists, 8.10 avg rating, 1.73 dribble, 1.9 key pass
13-14: 51 goals 14 assists, 8.38 avg rating, 2.25 dribble, 1.7 key pass
14-15: 61 goals 21 assists, 8.48 avg rating, 1.65 dribble, 2 key pass

Think about it, average rating of 8.48 is absolutely at insane performance level. To give some better perspective, lets compare Mbappe at Ligue 1 in recent years, he only has around 7.95 avg rating, even only playing at farmers league. That's how crazy Ronaldo was in terms of his performance level, even during 14-15 season.

Mbappe
21-22: 39 goals 21 assists, 7.98 avg rating, 3.12 dribble, 1.87 key pass
22-23: 19 goals 5 assists, 7.95 avg rating, 2.15 dribble, 1.7 key pass (halfway through season)

That's very interesting. Just goes to show that Mbappe has a long way to go yet. People don't need to rush to put him on a padsstal. But I did think he had breached the 40 goal mark already.

 

[Adisa]

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Can add Eintracht Frankfurt to the list of clubs that turned him down.

How many hits can a man take?

 

[Devil's Red]

He's bulletproof!

 

[2mufc0]

Yep, it's this completely.

He'd still have started plenty here because Martial is so unreliable, and everyone else is better wide.
The extra recovery in between games would also have helped him too.

The other thing to remember is he started on the bench because he'd left himself short of match fitness by messing in the summer too.

The smart call was staying here for the rest of the season, scoring another say 8-10 goals, helping the young lads with a lot of smiles and thumbs ups, and then jetting off into the sunset with everyone's best wishes for a last couple of seasons rinsing whoever is the top dollar league by then.

I just think he fell out with the manager and didn't want to play for him anymore. Otherswise I feel he would have seen out the season as you have suggested.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

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Can add Eintracht Frankfurt to the list of clubs that turned him down.

If this is true, it arguably says a lot about his mindset.

Either he's delusional enough to believe that he could win something major with Frankfurt - or he's just desperate for a chance to add a goal or two to his CL tally. *

I say "arguably" out of politeness. Because - sure - it could be that he's always dreamed of playing for Frankfurt. Or that he has a particular fondness for frankfurters. Or that his favourite school of philosophy is the Frankfurt school. And so on, yeah.

* Based on how he's looked for months now, the latter possibility may be called delusion too. The likelihood of him scoring for Frankfurt in the CL other than by happenstance seems slim enough.

 

[fallengt]

And people said he loved Sporting Lisbon.
I guess you're not invited to Ronaldo' family dinner if you don't play in champion league.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

If this is true, it arguably says a lot about his mindset.

Either he's delusional enough to believe that he could win something major with Frankfurt - or he's just desperate for a chance to add a goal or two to his CL tally. *

I think the latter is most likely. He would have been much more arsed in CL games than he'd shown for us in the PL or EL - it probably wouldn't have been enough as his level has taken a hit, but in his mind I'm pretty sure that was what was going on.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

I think the latter is most likely.

Yeah.

Let me put it like this: He has done absolutely nothing to make me believe otherwise.

 

[SCP]

One thing is for sure, he has been terribly adviced and surrounded on the last months, to not say years. Even heard his relationship with Mendes deteriorated after the Summer transfer fiasco.

Doesn't help since you're 12 or 13 years old and you're always listening you're the best and you still have that mindset when you're approaching the end of your carreer and the people who are close to you don't say no you can't do that anymore and you're still the best.

 

[kouroux]

That's very interesting. Just goes to show that Mbappe has a long way to go yet. People don't need to rush to put him on a padsstal. But I did think he had breached the 40 goal mark already.

He did, in 2020/2021 with 42 goals in 47 matches

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Yeah.

Let me put it like this: He has done absolutely nothing to make me believe otherwise.

Oh I'm 100% on board with you on this one.

 

[Adisa]

One thing is for sure, he has been terribly adviced and surrounded on the last months, to not say years. Even heard his relationship with Mendes deteriorated after the Summer transfer fiasco.

Doesn't help since you're 12 or 13 years old and you're always listening you're the best and you still have that mindset when you're approaching the end of your carreer and the people who are close to you don't say no you can't do that anymore and you're still the best.

Won't surprise me if he's blaming Mendes for his position.
Someone in his family has to sit him down.

 

[SCP]

Won't surprise me if he's blaming Mendes for his position.
Someone in his family has to sit him down.

Sit him down? The only reasonable person it's his Mother. The sisters and even recently his wife after the Morocco game were insulting Santos and Portuguese journalists who were saying he should be on the bench after the Group Stage games.

He is surrounded by people who only say to him the things he likes to listen, which has the opposite effect of having people on the Media and Social Media who make a living creating stories about him, some of them are complete crap only to generate likes. It's a vicious cycle.

But him being the only player who didn't said goodbye on Social Media to Santos after he left, all his teammates said something on Social Media means to me even some of Portugal players wouldn't like him being around the team after this, only speculation I know, but I feel they are tired of the circus around him.

 

[Zehner]

If this is true, it arguably says a lot about his mindset.

Either he's delusional enough to believe that he could win something major with Frankfurt - or he's just desperate for a chance to add a goal or two to his CL tally. *

I say "arguably" out of politeness. Because - sure - it could be that he's always dreamed of playing for Frankfurt. Or that he has a particular fondness for frankfurters. Or that his favourite school of philosophy is the Frankfurt school. And so on, yeah.

* Based on how he's looked for months now, the latter possibility may be called delusion too. The likelihood of him scoring for Frankfurt in the CL other than by happenstance seems slim enough.

If he wants to keep on playing for Portugal, getting game time and a platform to present himself could play a role as well.

 

[SCP]

If he wants to keep on playing for Portugal, getting game time and a platform to present himself could play a role as well.

He doesn't have the Miroslav Klose mindset. He is used to be the best since he is 12 or 13, everytime a coach tries to show him that he isn't that player anymore it ends in confrontation, I wouldn't be surprised Santos left also because the mood would be terrible for him to stay after he benched him.

Don't forget Cristiano generated a lot of money to the Portuguese Federation. With this I am not saying he was fired for that reason, everyone was tired of Santos as a coach, but it's not surprising that Cristiano didn't said nothing after he left the job.

 

[Mindhunter]

Sit him down? The only reasonable person it's his Mother. The sisters and even recently his wife after the Morocco game were insulting Santos and Portuguese journalists who were saying he should be on the bench after the Group Stage games.

He is surrounded by people who only say to him the things he likes to listen, which has the opposite effect of having people on the Media and Social Media who make a living creating stories about him, some of them are complete crap only to generate likes. It's a vicious cycle.

But him being the only player who didn't said goodbye on Social Media to Santos after he left, all his teammates said something on Social Media means to me even some of Portugal players wouldn't like him being around the team after this, only speculation I know, but I feel they are tired of the circus around him.

I think he was always so brash but people ignored it because of what he brought to the table. A player of his quality would have people fawning over him and the rules for him would be different.

Not that he isn’t producing people have realised that it just isn’t worth it. He is being treated like a normal person and it is all very new to him.

I think it won’t sink in till about 5-7 years after retirement.

 

[SCP]

I think he was always so brash but people ignored it because of what he brought to the table. A player of his quality would have people fawning over him and the rules for him would be different.

Not that he isn’t producing people have realised that it just isn’t worth it. He is being treated like a normal person and it is all very new to him.

I think it won’t sink in till about 5-7 years after retirement.

I can't believe a person with his ego will tolerate having to play in Saudi Arabia but I am starting to believe he has all the doors closed to him.

Tells a lot about his mindset that he sees himself as too good to finish his carreer at Sporting that he would rather earn more millions to Saudi Arabia, or that the Sporting Academy has his name for sponsoring reasons and he never showed up there.

This guys live on a massive bubble, and the people around him don't call them to reason, of course it has the other effect the Media likes stories about him because it generates money, he simply should have prepared his retirement on a better way, and knowing it was a World Cup year he should have tried to prepare well this season even knowing he wasn't the main player at United and sometimes had to be benched.

 

[Sly]

I can't believe a person with his ego will tolerate having to play in Saudi Arabia but I am starting to believe he has all the doors closed to him.

Tells a lot about his mindset that he sees himself as too good to finish his carreer at Sporting that he would rather earn more millions to Saudi Arabia, or that the Sporting Academy has his name for sponsoring reasons and he never showed up there.

This guys live on a massive bubble, and the people around him don't call them to reason, of course it has the other effect the Media likes stories about him because it generates money, he simply should have prepared his retirement on a better way, and knowing it was a World Cup year he should have tried to prepare well this season even knowing he wasn't the main player at United and sometimes had to be benched.

The only "Sportinguista" is his mom. She really loves Sporting. I never believed he would come back to us. It would surprise me. Having said that, I think him and Amorim would probably clash, so it's best he doesn't return.

He never really loved the club. We were a stepping stone. When he was sold to United, Ferguson gave us the choice to keep him for a year but he clearly wanted to move. Not that I blame him but I don't think he has a real connection with Sporting. Even United. I think the only club he really likes is Real Madrid.

 

[Mindhunter]

I can't believe a person with his ego will tolerate having to play in Saudi Arabia but I am starting to believe he has all the doors closed to him.

Tells a lot about his mindset that he sees himself as too good to finish his carreer at Sporting that he would rather earn more millions to Saudi Arabia, or that the Sporting Academy has his name for sponsoring reasons and he never showed up there.

This guys live on a massive bubble, and the people around him don't call them to reason, of course it has the other effect the Media likes stories about him because it generates money, he simply should have prepared his retirement on a better way, and knowing it was a World Cup year he should have tried to prepare well this season even knowing he wasn't the main player at United and sometimes had to be benched.

I think he will play for Sporting if given a chance but they don’t want him. No body in Europe does because they don’t want to sell an arm and a leg to pay him and they don’t want to tear up any camaraderie that the squad has.

As a footballer he still has his used but you get the entire CR7 package. Apparently he was offered to almost all CL clubs and they passed.

Now his options are even lower as he isn’t on a contract. Had he not gotten himself fired, United would have paid a part of his wages. Now no club can afford him outright.

 

[Lay]

The only "Sportinguista" is his mom. She really loves Sporting. I never believed he would come back to us. It would surprise me. Having said that, I think him and Amorim would probably clash, so it's best he doesn't return.

He never really loved the club. We were a stepping stone. When he was sold to United, Ferguson gave us the choice to keep him for a year but he clearly wanted to move. Not that I blame him but I don't think he has a real connection with Sporting. Even United. I think the only club he really likes is Real Madrid.

I'm not even sure he likes Real Madrid that much.

 

[SCP]

The only "Sportinguista" is his mom. She really loves Sporting. I never believed he would come back to us. It would surprise me. Having said that, I think him and Amorim would probably clash, so it's best he doesn't return.

Yeah, his Mother still when we are doing better never hides she supports us. For me at the moment when it was speculated he could come back to us after United and watching his sisters immediately dismissing that as if it was the most terrible thing in the World tells a lot about his feelings for us allright.

He likes more Mendes than Sporting, but if some rumours are true even Mendes isn't as close to him as they were. Anyway he can do what he wants, he certainly can score more goals than Paulinho and would give us massive propaganda, just don't know if he would accept orders by Amorim, a guy who was way bellow him as a player.

 

[Fortitude]

I think he was always so brash but people ignored it because of what he brought to the table. A player of his quality would have people fawning over him and the rules for him would be different.

Not that he isn’t producing people have realised that it just isn’t worth it. He is being treated like a normal person and it is all very new to him.

I think it won’t sink in till about 5-7 years after retirement.

He could still walk around like a god amongst men if he retired gracefully, but his ego is not only tarnishing his legacy as a player, but as human being, too. The pre-supposed notion being that he’s simply not a nice person off the back of his conduct and self-absorption.

He’s closed a lot of doors on himself in terms of universal public image in the last year; he could’ve done a Beckham, a Cruyff or any number of routes already paved by formerly revered players, and now the majority of them are no goes unless he can somehow win over a general public he’s not only lost, but generally think far less of him than they once did.

 

[mshnsh]

He had to change his game from 2014 due to chronic knee issues which was made worse by choosing to play at the World Cup. It’s become a myth among United fans that he peaked in 08/09 when he has surpassed the output in that season multiple times at Madrid before 2014. His 2013-2014 season was insane, he was the complete forward capable of scoring any type of goal.

Ronaldo doesn’t get enough credit for the way he has re-invented his game multiple times especially considering how his dominance against defenders was largely based on pace, dribbling and his absurd shooting range. To still sustain his G+A output after all those attributes were damaged is remarkable.

Was never a great dribbler possible exception of 06/07. Pace, power, incredible heading ability, intelligent off the ball movement and an insatiable drive have always been his biggest strengths. The knee injury may have been there but was never serious enough to derail his career, its an excuse used by fanboys for his failure at Brazil 2014 and him gradually becoming a poacher since 2015/16. For comparison, the likes of Messi, Neymar have had more serious injuries but never became poachers.

 

[TheNewEra]

I remember the debate of Messi and Ronaldo years ago and the age difference was always a huge factor.

I feel Messi even at Ronaldos age will be influencing games with his dribbling and passing.

Ronaldo I feel you can 1v1 mark these days.

 

[BorisManUtd]

The only "Sportinguista" is his mom. She really loves Sporting. I never believed he would come back to us. It would surprise me. Having said that, I think him and Amorim would probably clash, so it's best he doesn't return.

He never really loved the club. We were a stepping stone. When he was sold to United, Ferguson gave us the choice to keep him for a year but he clearly wanted to move. Not that I blame him but I don't think he has a real connection with Sporting. Even United. I think the only club he really likes is Real Madrid.

That's most probably right. Not sure he even feels some great connection with Real Madrid, but probably greater than with other 2 clubs because he had biggest success there. He's clearly a type of person that will always put himself first so doesn't care really that much about clubs he played for. On the other hand, I do think Ronaldo geniunely loves Ferguson because of their relationship and Fergie treating him well.

 

[TheNewEra]

That's most probably right. Not sure he even feels some great connection with Real Madrid, but probably greater than with other 2 clubs because he had biggest success there. He's clearly a type of person that will always put himself first so doesn't care really that much about clubs he played for. On the other hand, I do think Ronaldo geniunely loves Ferguson because of their relationship and Fergie treating him well.

I think its more about SAF than United too

 

[BorisManUtd]

I think its more about SAF than United too

Yeah, he basically admitted to Piers Morgan he was looking to go to City last summer before Fergie called him. What's funny is he didn't even feel the need to hide that he was perfectly fine with going to one of club's biggest rivals.

 

[Sly]

I think its more about SAF than United too

Agreed