Comparing the three Ronaldos

tomaldinho1

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This isn't even close, C Ronaldo.

One is in the argument for GOAT, the other two aren't
 

the chameleon

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You can't use both arguments because they contradict each other.

Ronaldo made some bad choices and was unlucky with injuries robbing him of what could have been the greatest career in this sport. By the time he joined the woefully mismanaged 'Galacticos', he was already a pale shadow of the player he once was - and even with that he was still one of the best strikers in the world (Henry, Shevchenko being the others), which just goes to show you just how damn good the guy was before that.

Bear in mind teams weren't as stacked and there were far less 'super teams' - yes, a large majority of the reason that two teams have won about 8 of the Champions Leagues between them this decade is Messi and Ronaldo, but you had a lot more talent spread out within each league itself, nevermind across the various leagues. There was no PSG of course, but the Dutch, Portuguese and German leagues were on the whole a lot more competitive in Europe around that time.
Even in the 2000s, when he joined Real Madrid, you had Valencia winning two league titles, Deportivo winning the 1999/2000 season. Real finished quite low a few times in about a 10-12 year period from the mid/late 90s to the mid/late 2000s.

And the Barcelona and Internationazle he joined during what are now considered his peak years, weren't quite the Barca circa Messi era and Inter circa Mourinho. Remember, Barcelona had only won ONE European Cup up until 2005/2006.

On top of that, you didn't have the "top 4" from the three big leagues gaining automatic qualification back then.

Yes, it is a blemish against his name - but just putting it into context - and also pointing out that you can't use both arguments in that case.
That was my point. Maybe I didn't emphasise. The point is that these should, could and would are not strong enough factors.

Including the points you made. When the paint is dry, it is Cristiano Ronaldo that is higher up in the ATG rankings purely based on his achievements.

No shoulda, coulda, woulda.
 

RooneyLegend

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Cristiano Ronaldo is obviously the most accomplished player of the three but Ronaldo was the best player out of them. Followed by Dinho imo. Cristiano in 3rd. Its all very close though, all of them are all time greats. My point is if you had either of them in your side you probably wouldnt swap him for any player in history.
 

RooneyLegend

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He's considered one of the most clinical strikers ever to have played the game. His titles and goal numbers are way up there and his assists were magical. There was a reason they called him both "The genius inside the box" and "King of dribbling"
Along with Baggio and Zico probably the most underrated footballers in history.
 

Tostao_80

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I didn't really watch Ronaldo at his peak but reading about him he appears to be one of those genuinely other worldly talents like Messi/Maradona, so I imagine I'd have gone for him if I followed his whole career.
Indeed. Its telling, that on a Man Utd forum, Cristiano is generally seen as the least naturally gifted of the three. Cristiano is, and will go down as the greatest of the three, no doubt.
However, he doesn't have the otherworldly talent that the other two have, nor Leo or Diego's. Hes very seldom left you thinking that you had just seen the best player in history. His longevity and goals will keep him as 3-5th best player of all time.
 

hn4manunited

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Thanks for posting this!

This is a good thread for a change of pace considering all the other threads on here these days:)

While R9 and Ronaldinho may be arguably more gifted, not many of these super gifted footballers had/have the drive and will power of Cristiano. Look at how he keeps himself as far as conditioning goes and his will to continue to win even after all that he’s won and achieved at this stage of his career.

just like many have said. Having talent and gift gets you so far, then the individual needs to have that special something to take it to the next level and then something even more special to continue to sustain that desire and drive.
 

Okey

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Hard one, on the heart, not the head. CR7 has over the years earned himself the right to be on a different pedestal to the other two, even if they were more naturally talented. Unfortunate anatomy and consequent injury robbed us of the best of R9, probably the most complete of the 3.
Ronaldinho is hands down the most exciting footballer I have ever seen, just for what he could do with a football. Sadly he had other things on his mind...
 

ufb

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Interesting question. To strictly answer the question, the order for me would be a) L Ronaldo b) Ronaldinho c) Cristiano

At the end of the day, ability matters less than effectiveness on the pitch. The most talented of players will be weeded out if they cannot deliver. In terms of effectiveness and general career achievements, Cristiano is far ahead of Ronaldo and Ronaldinho.
 

Hala Madrid

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There's a fundamental problem with people and even pros determining which and which is 'talent'. Everywhere on this thread, I'm seeing ''oh, he's more talented, so...''; but breaking it down, when you guys and a lot (which is 100% wrong) say 'talented', you're basically talking about manner of touch and dribbling. All the 'elegance', 'finesse', 'caress', 'comfortability on the ball' just means in a nutshell Touch and Dribbling, but that is just a little yet vital piece of what actual Talent is.
Talent involves reading of the game with and without the ball, positional awareness, mental fortitude under intense pressure (oh yes, that's talent too...or else what would you call it?), ability to do the simplest and most basic of things on the pitch to near perfection without needing to be extravagant all the time.
All these along with dribbling and much more makes up what 'talent' is, not to talk of agility, speed, physicality.
So, I'd say in a much better context, as much as you may not like it or as much as you'll disagree and claim to 'know better', Ronaldo, Cristiano and Dinho are arguably equally talented, but have different areas of concentration of these talents. Ronaldinho is the more eye-catchy player even by an average football watcher due to what he does with the ball on the field, same as Ronaldo and to a little extent, Cristiano. But the former two don't really have any other attributes especially without the ball...that's where Cristiano comes in. I've watched Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, and their positional awareness and ability to switch positions like a dart, looking for a little opportunity is basically average like any other average footballer, they only light up the stadium when they're with the ball.
The three are ridiculously talented but in different aspects.
 

Schneckerl

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I wish, the fact you know who I mean tells me you know what I mean.

Oh sorry I meant South American obviously.
Ronaldo going down the typical South American career path:
It's true that Ronaldo had weight problems and declined early, but he came back from devastating injuries at one point. Sadly Never regained his acceleration, still won the World Cup and had some World Class seasons. I would really give him credit for that.
 

tenpoless

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His name is literally Ronaldo de Assis Moreira.

Luis Ronaldo was called Ronaldinho when he first broke through to the Brazil's NT because there was an older Ronaldo on the team.

I like this. We should rename Rashford to Rashfordinho in the next game because there's an older Rashford in the team.
 

Suedesi

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Let me start by saying that I don't want this thread to be about numbers or career consistency.

The phenomenon, Ronaldinho and Cristiano are, without a doubt, some of the most skillful players to ever set foot on a pitch, and I would like to know how the Cafe ranks them against each other in terms of dribbling, creativity, pace, playmaking and ability to score beautiful goals.

In short, who is the best, looking strictly at ability ?

Also, feel free to share your favorite moments, stories about how they caught your eye and even disappointment with how their careers went if you want to.
Ronaldo
Ronaldinho
Cristiano
 

Jeppers7

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The thing is, very few players are actually obsessed with football and training 24H, that's why I tried to put it out of the discussion. Cristiano is almost a unique case.
Or you’ve tried to force the discussion the way you wanted it to go ?

There’s no argument that fat Ronaldo or Ronaldinho we’re better than Cristiano looking at the careers overall. But sure you could manipulate things
 

André Dominguez

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Along with Baggio and Zico probably the most underrated footballers in history.
You could use all three in the same eleven, since Romario was a striker, Baggio was a mezzo punta (between the trequartista and striker) and Zico was a trequartista.

Eventually Romário went back to Brazil on a time the brazilian league was actually quite good. When we were defeated by Vasco da Gama, Romário made a hell of a game, despite being 34 y.o

 

troylocker

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For me football is about entertainment and feelings. It is showbiz after all. The players that appeal to heart and eyes with magical moments on the pitch win crowds over. Like when Cantona came here with his nonchalant elegance, made the crowd go crazy with his moments of magic on the pitch and injected us with enthusiasm around the sport and the club. We don't want to see the mathematical approach to the sport (Like LvG and Mou). We want to be entertained and we want those magical moments. This is also why giving Ole a real go and another couple of windows to make this team right is the right thing to do. Because if….if he makes it! It would be that fairytale that brings enthusiasm back to the club and fans, and give us things to remember and talk about for decades to come.

Back to topic:
Who would I pay the most to see doing a peak performance? Ronaldo1997
Who would I hire for the rest of this season to save the day? Ronaldo1997

The attendance numbers for Inter before and after Ronaldo came in -97 are just crazy. #impact
 

_00_deathscar

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That was my point. Maybe I didn't emphasise. The point is that these should, could and would are not strong enough factors.

Including the points you made. When the paint is dry, it is Cristiano Ronaldo that is higher up in the ATG rankings purely based on his achievements.

No shoulda, coulda, woulda.
Yea, there's no doubt Cristiano Ronaldo is by far, far more accomplished in his career over the other two, and overall a more balanced player too.

But there's also no doubt that the Ronaldo up until his knees went was the greatest player I've ever seen. The amount of talent he had was simply ridiculous.
 

RedRonaldo

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Comparing Cristiano with Ronaldo and Ronaldinho is like comparing Pele with Garrincha and George Best. No doubt there will be football fans at that time favouring those 2 above Pele in terms of entertainment value, or pure talent or peak performance to the eyes. But history will always remember Pele as the greatest, for his far superior achievements and insane number of goals etc.
 

MrEleson

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You can fit about 3 or 4 Ronaldinho Careers into 1 C.Ronaldo career.
Talent is subjective although R9 was probably the most talented of the 3.
 

Righteous Steps

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Comparing Cristiano with Ronaldo and Ronaldinho is like comparing Pele with Garrincha and George Best. No doubt there will be football fans at that time favouring those 2 above Pele in terms of entertainment value, or pure talent or peak performance to the eyes. But history will always remember Pele as the greatest, for his far superior achievements and insane number of goals etc.
No chance, Pele was more talented than George Best, Ronaldinho and R9 are more talented than Ronaldo, don't see the parralells on a footballing level.
 

Harry190

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Talent and potential don't mean much if you're wondering what could have been instead of what was at then of the road.

Who did the most with what he had?
Who lasted the longest and took the best care of himself?
Who is a better human being?
 

RedRonaldo

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No chance, Pele was more talented than George Best, Ronaldinho and R9 are more talented than Ronaldo, don't see the parralells on a footballing level.
I used to hear people say George Best is more talented, but Pele is greater player.
 

André Dominguez

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Probably there is a distinction between striker (speciality) and forward (position). Romario is definitely an all time GOAT, but then I'd still have CR and Ronaldo ahead of him.
They were probably a bit better overall players, but Romario was statistically a beast in the shots/goals ratio.
If only he wasn't such a lazy bastard in terms of tactical work...
 

Forevergiggs1

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If we're talking about who I'd like to pay to see in their prime then the choice is quite easy.

Ronaldinho. Nobody could do the things he could do with a football, before or since. Had a big hand in making Messi what he is today.

Ronaldo9. The game was like a joke to him. Made every thing look so easy. His first season at Barca will go down as one of the best ever.

Ronaldo7. Obviously a fantastic player but on an entertainment level he doesn't get close to the other 2. More machine than wizard. Given the choice between watching Ronaldinho and Ronaldo9 for 3 seasons or Cristiano for 15 I'd go for the first option.
 

JDubz

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R9 more talented, CR7 had the better career. Blows my mind R9 has never won the Champions League. Can you imagine a combination of the two...
 

Luke1995

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Or you’ve tried to force the discussion the way you wanted it to go ?

There’s no argument that fat Ronaldo or Ronaldinho we’re better than Cristiano looking at the careers overall. But sure you could manipulate things
It can be argued that Cristiano always played in teams who suited his strenghts, while Ronaldinho and the other Ronaldo played in teams who did not always had a good tactical system...
 

Bennz McCarthey17

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Blah blah blah, another Cristiano vs thread, started by a pure hater. Why not pit him against Neymar next, just to see how ridiculous this nonsense is. Cristiano has more Ballon d'ors, more goals, lasted longer, has 5 UCL to the two others what is it 1?. But oh the "eye test" cue the what ifs, could haves. And then you consider Cristiano was a pure winger who transformed to a wing forward to a striker, who's 34 and still is sprinting with 25 year olds. Get the hell out.

And I'll say this again Cristiano is comparable to Pele, if he was Brazilian, he'd be the closest to the great man, blowing Ronaldinho and Ronaldo away, who are nowhere near Pele even in their own country men's eyes.
 

Suedesi

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The simplest way to define the three Rs is to say that Ronaldinho was an artist, Cristiano is an executioner, and Ronaldo was a combination of the two. I understand the question, but you are going to get push back on it, because clearly dedication, longevity, consistency, and hard work are all traits that make Cristian stand out, but for the purpose of this ability test have been eliminated.

That said, if you were to take the three players on their very best day and ask me who was the best, or the most talented, I’d say Luis Ronaldo by a hair over Ronaldinho. Just because he married the artistry of the buck toothed wonder, with the clinical relentlessness of Ol’ ostrich neck.

Here are a few things that I’d like to point out about Luis Ronaldo....

....Prior to his injury he was an absolute force of nature. Scoring every manner of goal imaginable. A one man wrecking machine. At just 20 he scored 47 goals in 49 games for Barcelona, and hadn’t even peaked yet. At 21 he had broken the world transfer record twice already. His phenomenal scoring record continued in Serie A, which at the time was notoriously difficult to score in.

He won world player of the year three times, yet got injured in November of the ‘99 season, missed the rest of that season, the entirety of the 2000-01 season, and half of the 2001-02 season. Having three major operations in that time gram on his knees for ruptured tendons. It is hugely possible, nay....probable he would of picked up another 1-2 WPOTY prizes in that period. And if he hadn’t been robbed of so much of his explosiveness. He would have ended his career as a legitimate contender for GOAT. He was that good pre-injury (and pretty damn good after, winning one more WPOTY) that he could have scored at the rate Cristiano has throughout his career. He was on track prior to injuries.

Dribbling: Ronaldinho>Ronaldo>Cristiano
Pace: Ronaldo>Cristiano>Ronaldinho
Creativity: Ronaldinho>Ronaldo>Cristiano
Playmaking: Ronaldinho>Ronaldo>Cristiano
Beautiful Goals: Ronaldinho>Ronaldo>Cristiano
Ball Control: Ronaldinho>Ronaldo>Cristiano
Finishing: Ronaldo>Cristiano>Ronaldinho
Heading: Cristiano>Ronaldo>Ronaldinho
Flair: Ronaldinho>Ronaldo>Cristiano
Joy: Ronaldinho>Ronaldo>Cristiano
Can't argue with that

 

MrEleson

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It can be argued that Cristiano always played in teams who suited his strenghts, while Ronaldinho and the other Ronaldo played in teams who did not always had a good tactical system...
Forgetting Ronaldo started off as a traditional RW in a 4-4-2 while the other two have always played in the positions that got the best out of their skillset?
 

Halds

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R9 was the most talented for me. Skill, speed and effectiveness combined. But I enjoyed watching Ronaldinho the most. He was just magical for a few seasons at Barca.

CR is obviously a great player, one of the best ever. But even though his figures are extraordinary, I am a bit dissapointed in how his carreer has turned out. He was a joy to watch in his late seasons at Man United. He got more effective at Real, but lost some of the magic along the way imo. I guess it doesn't matter, when he's on your team, but for me, he hasn't been as entertaining throughout his prime at Real, as he was at Man United when he was young.
 

Suedesi

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This isn't even close, C Ronaldo.

One is in the argument for GOAT, the other two aren't
No he's not. None in their right mind who's older than 30 considers Cristiano as the greatest of all time. Even Messi has a better claim, lest not mention Maradona, Pele, Di Stefano, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Garrincha etc.

He's had a legendary career, but he's unpleasant and never rose to God levels in any competition that matter.