Milan, Champions League winners that year were not a "top team". Dortmund, finalists that year were not a top team? Juventus, finalists that year were not a "top team"?
Just stop.
For me, top teams are those who have reached at least the semi-finals a few seasons in a row, like United of 2007-2011, Barcelona, Bayern, Real Madrid. Atletico has been the closest to them, but they don't play like a top team, too defensive, not attacking enough. Dortmund, Milan, Juve, these teams have been more or less one season wonders, doing well sporadically after long gap.
It seems, I have higher expectations from top teams than you guys do. so, I guess, we should agree to disagree.
United doesn't win a CL in 2008 or make it to the final in 2009 without Ronaldo. Give me a break.
In 2008, we were amazing as a team, I think we would have won it anyway. The hardest opposition we played in 2008 was Barcelona and against them, in either of the matches, Ronaldo did F all. In 2009, I felt the dependency on Ronaldo even hindered our game, he was not doing his defensive shifts, which is why Rooney was played in wings which hurt our general play.
That's bs as well. There's a big chance Real Madrid hadn't even reached the final in UCL without Ronaldo and the Same with Portugal (they would had gone out in group stage most likely). It's like you think he only scores inconsequential goals and does nothing beside being standing there next to the goal line waiting to push the ball in. He's a very good finisher who can strike the ball with both feet and is also good in the air but he's more complete than the likes of someone like Higuaín, and has also been instrumental to his teams recent success.
As I said, I don't feel he is as influential on the game as the likes of Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Robben etc. are, but you can have other opinion. As some one already said, Ronaldo is a great goal scorer, but not a great player, at least not enough to win Ballon D'or.
Where to start with this nonsense
@unimaginative_name... well United wouldn't have won the CL without Ronaldo, that's for sure.
Porto would certainly have knocked us out. And Chelsea would have won the final without him.
So now onto this absolute garbage about Messi, who, strangely enough didn't play for the Spanish national team who ruled the World then. They, full of Barca players did just fine without him. With or without Messi, that Barca team was easily the best in Europe.
Great great player Messi, possibly the best ever, but feck me some people don't half talk some shite about him.
Lol, without Messi, they may have won the tournaments, but they were anything but fluid, they scored probably the fewest numbers of goals in the world cup as the winners. They won because international football became dire and there are not enough quality international teams. Only in 2008, they played like real champions. The France team of 1998-2002 would have thumped that Spain side. Messi is integral to the way Barcelona play, he is the reason they score tons of goals.
You guys adore Ronaldo, good on you, but I don't rate his type of players. I rest my case.
