Didn't consciously watch him play as in didn't know anything significant about football at all as I was 9 years old during the 2002 WC where I first watched him without context. Then I slowly appreciated his talent more and more but still can't fully grasp it yet obviously. If he played today how much better would be than the likes of Lewandowski, Suarez, Benzema, Aguero and Ibrahimovic?
How good was Ronaldo #9?
- Thread starter VorZakone
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Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) discuss United's fantastic win away against Athletic Club in the semi-final of the Europa League.
They also pick out the positives of United's 4-3 loss away at Brentford, and Nik reviews a day out at Old Trafford watching Manchester United Women qualify for the Champions League.
He got a standing ovation when he went off against United in the Champions League when he scored a sublime hat trick. Think that speaks volumes.
As much natural footballing ability as any striker to ever play the game. Wrecked by injuries.
He'd probably get in our side right now.
Brilliant and could have been an all time great but fitness issues robbed him of the opportunity to fully prove himself to that degree. Really wonderful when he was at his best though, massively talented.
Probably the best player I have ever seen.
Best player I've ever seen. He had absolutely everything you could ask for in a striker, just a shame the injuries wrecked him.
In his prime, it looked like he was playing a different sport from his peers. Athletically was on another planet and had attacking midfielder flair and ball control, whilst being a striker.
But his prime was so short due to injuries, that we are still left thinking "what could've been".
He managed to reinvent himself and still win a world cup + Ballon D'Or with no knees, although he lost that "extraterrestrial" aura. I'm biased, but he is the only thing that comes close to Messi to me, specially in his prime.
But his prime was so short due to injuries, that we are still left thinking "what could've been".
He managed to reinvent himself and still win a world cup + Ballon D'Or with no knees, although he lost that "extraterrestrial" aura. I'm biased, but he is the only thing that comes close to Messi to me, specially in his prime.
It's a bit like watching Messi except sporadically and not over a period of almost a decade. At his best he was at that sort of level, maybe even more difficult to stop when he was "on it", if that is even possible.
Meh.
He wasn't too shabby.
The best #9 i've seen in my lifetime (31 years).
If a scientist decided to create the perfect #9, he'd make ronaldo.
Not sure he was always very professional ... or fit
But on his day was basically unstoppable.
Was the best player at the 98 and 02 WC and top scorer in each i believe
This was at a time when international football was of a higher standard (or it felt more important or relevant somehow?)
He'd be the best #9 in the world if he was playing now, even Lewandowski would look 2nd rate next to him
There'd be very few eras when that wouldn't be the case i'd think.
If a scientist decided to create the perfect #9, he'd make ronaldo.
Not sure he was always very professional ... or fit
But on his day was basically unstoppable.
Was the best player at the 98 and 02 WC and top scorer in each i believe
This was at a time when international football was of a higher standard (or it felt more important or relevant somehow?)
He'd be the best #9 in the world if he was playing now, even Lewandowski would look 2nd rate next to him
There'd be very few eras when that wouldn't be the case i'd think.
How many other opposition players have been given a standing ovation by Old Trafford after tearing us apart?
A stronger,faster messi.
Showed his best form at Barcelona and Inter, which is saying something cos he was pretty damn good at Madrid.
I used to love watching Football Italia on channel 4 when Ronaldo's Inter were on. Guy was amazing. That UEFA Cup final with Lazio was special.
Best #9 I've seen. Pity about his knee injuries.
I used to love watching Football Italia on channel 4 when Ronaldo's Inter were on. Guy was amazing. That UEFA Cup final with Lazio was special.
Best #9 I've seen. Pity about his knee injuries.
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I think he qualifies as an all-time great (although I guess that's a very subjective term.) Best pure striker I've ever seen; such a shame about the injuries.
Injuries probably prevented him being the greatest player of a generation. Pre-Messi anyway.
Watching the passing, movement and finishing for that second Ronaldo goal against United (granted United's defenders were statuesque,) you realize that possession football need not be the turgid shite that we're served up on a weekly basis these days.
The best, only Messi has been better and that could have been due to Ronaldos injuries.
Better than any #9 playing anywhere in the world today
That is not a reliable measure of his talent and impact. Plus in discussions about him it's 50% fact and 50% conjecture/personal preference/excuses/"if he was fit"...
Ronaldo is an all time great.
Well obviously it's not a measure of talent, but it is a pretty good sign of how highly regarded he was amongst football fans.
As for the second part of your post, are you implying his talent is overstated?
Not up there with someone like Messi imo as he simply didn't have the opportunity to perform for as many seasons. When I say all time great I mean the best of the best.
Not just Messi either, he's just the most extreme example.
He was the perfect striker. He had it all.
No conjecture surrounding his achievements, despite being hampered by injury. Led Brazil to the World Cup in 02, winning the Golden Boot. Was Europe's greatest player on and off for various years during 96-03. Had he not suffered injuries, he would have probably gone down as the greatest ever -- the fact that he's still one of the greatest ever is a testament to how good he actually was.
Btw, his 8 goals in '02 is the highest on record since the 1974 World Cup.
3.30ish into the second video -- very few individual goals will better that.
That's like saying Moore isn't an all time great because Beckenbauer and Baresi were better, or Platini isn't an all time great because Maradona and Di Stéfano were better attackers. Ronaldo is arguably the greatest #9 of all time with Gerd Müller, and among the greatest if you include Puskás, Eusébio, Di Stéfano and Pelé for forwards. What more do you want? And he's one of the Top 3 Brazilian players of all time with Pelé and Garrincha, maybe Zico. That's sacred territory, and in the Top 10-ish of all time range.
Ronaldo was exactly that.
From 96-98 he was unplayable. Scarier than Messi/Cristiano/Ronaldinho/Zidane/etc because of the sheer pace and power that he had allied to impossibly quick feet and ridiculous skill.
Defending was a lot better in the 90's and he destroyed Serie A defences in his first season at Inter after destroying La Liga defences in his season at Barcelona.
Sadly we'll never know what could've been, perhaps if he'd stayed at Barca then he might not have gotten the injuries he suffered in Italy.
Defending was a lot better in the 90's and he destroyed Serie A defences in his first season at Inter after destroying La Liga defences in his season at Barcelona.
Sadly we'll never know what could've been, perhaps if he'd stayed at Barca then he might not have gotten the injuries he suffered in Italy.
That's not entirely true. He was not the best in the air and his heading was relatively poor. Whilst clearly being a striker he was best as a second striker so he could run at defenses rather than have his back to goal.
The first point is fair.
I think the talent was there, but his overall achievements don't match where he has been placed amongst his peers IMO.
He wasn't the same after that injury at Inter, which was what, 99? Great in the 2002 World Cup, but he wasn't head and shoulders above the rest. He ripped us apart at Old Trafford, but he couldn't replicate the same magic against Juventus in the next round. Plus he was part of that Real team that won the collective sum of feck all after Glasgow.
I agree that at his peak he was a complete force of nature. However is 3 seasons of brilliance enough to be placed in the stratosphere of football?
The best number 9's around 2002 were the likes of Inzaghi, Trezegeut, Crespo and Owen. Ronaldo stood out because not only was he a great goalscorer he had a bit of everything in his locker.
Little bit annoyed that I was too young to see Barca/early Inter Ronaldo. I've just seen that he scored 47 in 49 games in his first and only season at Barcelona. Prior to that he had only played in the Brazilian and Dutch leagues. He was only 20 years old.
Little bit annoyed that I was too young to see Barca/early Inter Ronaldo. I've just seen that he scored 47 in 49 games in his first and only season at Barcelona. Prior to that he had only played in the Brazilian and Dutch leagues. He was only 20 years old.
DDG would have stopped the first and third goals for that Ronaldo hat-trick in '03. Still exceptional performance though but Barthez was a bit naff when you look back.
Best player i've ever seen and the only one i'd pay to see play anywhere.
Playing against CR7/Messi you still feel you have a chance but I used to hate coming up against this guy he was truly unstoppable.
The Ronaldo that scored that hatrick against us I always felt he had lost a little by then which says a lot considering how good he was. The Ronaldo of Barca/Inter was the player i'll remember, just a joy to watch. Wonder if 99 might have been different had he been fit, can remember him starting at the San Siro he wasn't fit but was shitting myself everytime the ball went near him. For me his time at the top makes no difference he showed his talent on every stage. What he did at successive World Cup puts Messi to shame.
Playing against CR7/Messi you still feel you have a chance but I used to hate coming up against this guy he was truly unstoppable.
The Ronaldo that scored that hatrick against us I always felt he had lost a little by then which says a lot considering how good he was. The Ronaldo of Barca/Inter was the player i'll remember, just a joy to watch. Wonder if 99 might have been different had he been fit, can remember him starting at the San Siro he wasn't fit but was shitting myself everytime the ball went near him. For me his time at the top makes no difference he showed his talent on every stage. What he did at successive World Cup puts Messi to shame.
I think three seasons of brilliance is enough to be classed as an all time great if the player is clearly the best of the best during that period. Three time world footballer of the year, Golden Boot winner, WC winner -- was head and shoulders above the rest for me in that World Cup, Oliver Kahn being a close second.
He also won the pichichi in 03/04, so three seasons isn't quite accurate.
And anyway, how many seasons did George Best really have at the top? 3 or 4? Ronaldinho had maybe 3. These players are still all time greats as far as I'm concerned.
Probably the greatest player I've ever seen. He was a monster.
He'd be the world's most expensive footballer. I don't know if I'll be accused of hyperbole saying this but Ronaldo could do everything, the best finisher, one of the best dribblers and a passing range a modern day playmaker would die for.