37 year old player playing in Saudi is finished surprise.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Much Ado About Al Nassr
- Thread starter Bastian
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Pretty sad he has ended up in Saudi Arabia chasing the coin. The love he would have received from the Utd fans if he was willing to become a bit part player whilst also guiding the youngsters with his knowledge and hunger for success.
Even sat on the bench the fans would be singing his name throughout the game whilst he picks up a paltry 500k a week.
Terrible ending to a brilliant career.
Even sat on the bench the fans would be singing his name throughout the game whilst he picks up a paltry 500k a week.
Terrible ending to a brilliant career.
As a great man once said, "you either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain"
He wasWow I thought he was wumming
That's because they're comparing where Ronaldo is in his own head to where he is in reality. Compared to how good Ronaldo thinks/thought he was there is nothing positive about the reality.
The thing that some Cristiano fanboys fail to grasp when they defend his move to Saudi is that the criticism he is getting is not about moving into semi retirement in Saudi. Absolutely not. It is how he has behaved since around July last year culminating into this move. You'd think he had offers from some European giants. He is rightfully a laughing stock right now.
One of the all time greats but overrated by his social media fans and some media personnel, never good enough to be a true candidate.
One of the all time greats but overrated by his social media fans and some media personnel, never good enough to be a true candidate.
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I know the move was more about image than anything, but did they not watch him at all before they bought him? What did they expect?
This guy has been terrible on a football pitch, last season too (he'd basically have the exact kind of game but end up scoring as everyone looked to send every chance his way) and people kept spouting idiotic excuses on his behalf. He's been poor, his strength, balance, speed, touch, dribbling, passing was all below PL level. The one thing I'd give him was ability to find space.
Can anyone confirm who he is and if he’s truly mocking Ronnie
My point was IF the Madrid offered him he would probably sit on their bench till the summer.
He doesn't give a feck about UTD. Cnut left us when we were one of the best clubs in the world.
Anything from Keane and Rio? These guys would have rather seen ETH sacked than Ronaldo not start week in and week out.
"When youre older, you either recognize your limitations or be delusional"
Ronaldo after joining al Nassr “It's a unique contract because I'm a unique player. I want to enjoy my time with Al-Nassr and win. If my coach says so, I can play within the next two days,”
Egotistical scum.
Egotistical scum.
Zlatan at 38 would have ripped that league apart with his goals and acrobatics.
The question is, how come he's regressed so much despite taking care of himself so well?
Giggs, Zlatan and a few others managed to play at a high level at a similar age and Modric is still playing for Madrid at 37.
Giggs, Zlatan and a few others managed to play at a high level at a similar age and Modric is still playing for Madrid at 37.
We know his head's gone completely so I reckon it's related to that.
When you're completely self involved, egotistical and narcissistic your belief in yourself drives you to the heights he's had but it means that the moment it gets knocked and you can't do what you do, it hits you much, much harder than most.
I reckon he's had his world hit and it's knocked him senseless and he's now flailing because of it. Everything including his reaction to sitting on the bench and the interview to how he's playing on the pitch suggests he's not coping well with reality.
You know, normally when top players go to leagues way below the standard they shone in, they perform to an exhibition standard and give those fans a spectacle; they don’t tend to absolutely nosedive and look like they’re barely professional footballers anymore. There’s no way Ronaldo should look that bad in South Africa… I refuse to believe there’s not more to what’s going on with him than base decline. Even at 45, fat and out of shape, there should be a clear element of class to his game at that level. Something is very wrong; washed, shot or whatever you want to call him, he should be making that league look like Soccer Aid; can’t imagine the damage to his ego if he becomes a figure of ridicule there.
To be fair Modric is looking a shadow of himself this season already never mind when he catches Ronaldos age up
Cristiano is 7 months older than Modrić, you make it sound as if Cristiano is 7 years older.
Also while Modrić isn't on the same level as before he still performs regulary for RM and has played very good WC just 2 months ago while Cristiano can't control ball in SA.
But Ronaldo completely fell away in a matter of weeks. Modric used to control games, now Madrid games have become agricultural as they’re outplayed for large periods of games through midfield.
It’s passable but in 7 months Modric could have lost a step further and be a complete liability himself. We are sitting here questioning Ronaldo while up to the end of last season he was a striker who was fractions away from averaging a goal a game in his 30s up to the ripe old age of 37!
He's becoming a meme with his failed tricks. Terrible fall from Grace.
How has he gone so bad though. There are players pushing 50 years old in legends games that look better.
So strange what’s happened to him in 12 months. Last season at United he was still scoring some absolute belters and the tricks and flicks were still coming off (Brentford at OT a good example).
Such a drop in a short space of time.
Such a drop in a short space of time.
I'm sad that I'm quite ambivalent towards him now but that interview was the dealbreaker. It is very satisfying seeing him getting overshadowed by Talisca in a Saudi league. Wait till he starts playing in partially filled stadiums over there and going through a goal drought.
How long until he becomes a bench warmer?
The most important parts of his style are reliant on agility, explosiveness and speed. He doesn't seem to have ever accepted that he's losing these traits with age and adapted his game accordingly and now we're seeing the results of that. He provided so many moments for United for me in my teenage years (and obviously brilliant beyond) and I fecking love him for it so I do my best to avoid clips of him failing miserably, it's a huge shame. I know he hasn't helped himself with his behaviour over the years but I can't help but find it weird when people, including fans of this club, seem to take actual joy in his misery, especially considering the shit he's been through the last couple of years.
p.s. i am not into discussion = will not reply back
p.s. i am not into discussion = will not reply back
Not a chance on this bit.
Yep, pretty obvious to most of us.
If he'd not been messing pre season he'd have given himself a better shot early season.
Then with Martial being incapable of starting 2 in a row, he'd still have started plenty anyway.
Then he still could have done this money grab for a couple of seasons, but with a lot more well wishing.
In that league, on that wage? Never.
How soon before he claims he is disrespected in Saudi Arabia. Sack the coach etc.
Whatever one thinks of Ronaldo the human being, he actually was "great enough to begin with"...in fact, he's one of the greatest footballers in the history of the game. I have Pele and Messi first and second, and some may laugh at that which is fine, but no one would laugh at the suggestion that Ronaldo is in in the top 5 of all time. Ronaldo is certainly "good enough" to be able to score a goal in the Saudi Arabia league, even at this age. Or maybe not, but it's not daft to expect that even now that Ronaldo has enough left in him to score a few goals in a league that's significantly to any other he's ever played in.
If we're going to take literal meaning of the word "tragic", then of course there's nothing tragic about Ronaldo making hundreds of millions in the Saudi league and missing sitters. No one suffers physical pain or genuine emotional sorrow if he doesn't score a goal. But in the colloquial sense of the word it is in fact tragic to see a footballer reach such a high height to fall to such a low low and miss sitters against mugs. Perhaps some will take delight in it and I suspect neither one of us have a problem with that and others will cringe and take no delight. His fanbois might be oblivious to it all and type SIUU or whatever on his Instagram feed after he posts his latest pose for the cameras.
As for Ali and Ronaldo, both are universally regarded as among the greatest of all time in their sports. I rate Ali as the greatest (I was into boxing as a kid in LA, where boxing has a fanatical following) but many boxing experts will tell you that pound for Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest. As for football, as mentioned earlier I have Ronaldo third behind Pele and Maradona. Just opinions, but the point here is that no one disputes that Ali and Ronaldo were both in the very top tier in the history of their sports.
His fanbois will continue to like and love the photos of his WAG and his palatial pad in Riyadh, but what we're seeing now is the sad of end of a brilliant career, not too unlike the sad of a brilliant boxing career by one of the greatest, if not the greatest, in the history of his sport. But what separates these two men is that Ali saw his life in the larger context of the struggle for social and economic justice in his country, and around the world in fact; whereas Ronaldo, however brilliant he was at his peak, has never stepped off the pitch in any way to use the megaphone that could have always grabbed to try to change the world for the better.
You should always age with grace and understand your limitations. In reality his level has been low since he left Madrid.
It's been covered by teams building entire squads focused on handing him opportunities on a platter. That's masked his decline.
Now he's still talented and can still score goals, Atalanta, Spurs etc but now you're seeing bang average pros in good physical shape bullying him. Looks so far off the pace and weak (core strength goes with age, as does balance and agility) that he needs to spend his time in the penalty box, making small movements to finish moves.
Dropping deep exposes his complete lack of physical prowess.
It's been covered by teams building entire squads focused on handing him opportunities on a platter. That's masked his decline.
Now he's still talented and can still score goals, Atalanta, Spurs etc but now you're seeing bang average pros in good physical shape bullying him. Looks so far off the pace and weak (core strength goes with age, as does balance and agility) that he needs to spend his time in the penalty box, making small movements to finish moves.
Dropping deep exposes his complete lack of physical prowess.
Bonesaw will probably scare him.
It depends on how big that Top tier is... But if it's a top 3/5 then no, he is by no means as good as Maradona/Pélé who literally accomplished some footballing miracles during their careers. Only Messi can be considered as good as these two (if not better, as we switch some minor metrics). And there are other players to complete this top 5 before Ronaldo... Ronaldo was always a more limited player than these extraordinary GOATs, he should be in a second tier of the all-time greatest.
They're both 37, mate
and Modric has been class for Madrid and Croatia, while Ronaldo is embarrassing himself in the Saudi league after being relegated to the bench at United and with Portugal.It's clear you haven't watched a single minute of Modric this season.
And Modric will fall off a cliff just as quick, he’s already slowed all the way down. It’s just in a position that you can hide it a bit more.They're both 37, mate
It's clear you haven't watched a single minute of Modric this season.
Plus seven month difference is huge at that age, you literally fall away overnight.
im watching Madrids midfield getting overrun and become pedestrian all season so stop with that haven’t watched him bullshit please. How many times do I have to watch Barca dance all over their midfield for it to be the ci census? 3/4 more times? Atletico were having their way with Madrid last night as well.
Disagreeing with me doesn’t mean you’re right and I’m wrong and having a different opinion doesn’t make you an oracle. Take your Ronaldo hate Boner elsewhere.
edit checked your post history and (from what I see) the last Madrid game you posted about was back in 2021 so let’s just say I don’t believe you if you say you’re a regular Madrid watcher (and that’s me being kind)
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Modric could lose the complete ability to play football by JulyHow old did that guy think Modric was?
You can speculate all you want, but Modric right now is playing at a high level. He played at a high level at Madrid and did so at the world cup carrying Croatia to the semi finals (where, just as he always does, Ronaldo was nowhere to he seen).
Likewise, disagreeing with me doesn't make you right, genius. Take your Ronaldo homerism somewhere else.
Its clear youo haven't watched any Madrid matches over the past year, but carry on embarrassing yourself.
Seems likely!