How good was Ronaldo #9?

[Sereques]

He'd probably get in our side right now.

if Barca Ronaldo enter our current side, we will do the double.

 

[harms]

He would've been a genuine Ballon D'Or contender alongside Messi and Ronaldo

 

[Sereques]

I'd argue the bigger stain is the lack of league titles. He won only one league title in 15 years in Europe, always playing for big clubs in the country. Two if you count the 06/07 season when he left Real in January without playing much, but you can't give him any credit for that one, that would be silly.

I loved Ronaldo and his form at Barca and his first season at Inter is only rivaled by Messi's best seasons in the last 25 years. Everything past his heavy injuries at Inter is quality, but not all time great standard, and that includes the WC win in 2002 when Rivaldo had in my opinion the better tournament.

If you look at his body of work, it's difficult to put him up with the greatest of all time. He's nowhere near that, lacks the trophies at club level and hasn't had a longlasting influence at any club the way all the other greats had. The performances that warrant that claim are really a bit limited. 'What could have been without his injuries' plays in my opinion a massive role in how highly rated he is today and how highly I rate him, there's no way around that.

I will say he was unlucky. The goals he scored for those clubs was enough to win a league. 30 goals for PSV. 34 goals for Barca those are enough to win a damn league. Imagine if we didn't win the league the season CR7 scored 31 goals.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

If you take into account his poor heading ability and jump height... Would he still displace any starting striker today from any side?

That isn't completely a pre-requisite of being a striker these days either. Messi played as the number 9 for Barcelona during one of their most dominant periods. Henry wasn't a monster in the air and remains the best player and striker in PL history. Besides, I imagine a player with that sort of ability would fit nicely into any position of a "front three" these days which tend to comprise of "forwards" anyway.

 

[kouroux]

The first about 4 years from his career in Europe before his serious injury, starting at 17 at PSV, he was absolutely sensational. He started brilliant, and got better and better and better. It was just impossible to stop him. At a certain point he was so strong and effective one started to wonder wether is was possible at all for a team without Ronaldo to beat a team with Ronaldo.

The strange thing was, he wasn't a wizard at all, nothing like Ronaldinho who could do anything with the ball, on technique he wasn't even close to players like Bergkamp or Messi. His first touch was reliable but not precise, but when the ball went off his foot half a yard too far, he just powered to it before a defender could. It was his combination of quick feet, long legs and strenght and speed that couldn't be defended. And a great finisher. Not a genius, not a magician, not an artist, not a technician, not a ballet danser, not highly intelligent, just unstoppable.

His touch on the ball improved much more after his injuries because he had to change his game.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Probably the best striker of the past decades, but I dont buy into the better than Messi talk. There's basically nothing that he could do that Messi cant, but you cant say it the other way round. Messi is the best goalscorer, best dribbler, best creator and best playmaker of his era, that's what edges it for me. Ronaldo was still a great nevertheless.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Probably the best striker of the past decades, but I dont buy into the better than Messi talk. There's basically nothing that he could do that Messi cant, but you cant say it the other way round. Messi is the best goalscorer, best dribbler, best creator and best playmaker of his era, that's what edges it for me. Ronaldo was still a great nevertheless.

Ya, agree entirely, the only thing Ronaldo had better than Messi was upper body strength, thats literally about it for my money.

 

[gingerless]

Very very similar to jonah lomu, even the haircut and short careers. the power, size, and to have the pace and technique he had at that size was incredible. The much better Ronaldo.

 

[kafta]

Second only to messi in my opinion, though that is not down to talent or ability, just down to ronaldos injuries and messi being consistent over a decade.

Ronaldo is his prime was the best player ive ever seen.

 

[Ixion]

I put Messi ahead of everyone but original Ronaldo would be the next level down, at his best I'd take him over Cristiano any day.

 

[Cantona'sCollar]

The likes of Suarez, Aguero and Lewandowski are completely average compared to him. Had it not been for his injuries, I really believe he would have been known as the greatest player to have ever played. Force of nature.

 

[Boycott]

One of the greatest strikers but for me we never saw the best of the true Ronaldo after his knee injuries which prevents him being an all time great. Speaks volumes that he was the best striker in the world after the injuries but he remodeled his play style and with that there was less magic. R9 of his early years would have swept anyone aside with his breath-taking dribbling and skill but it wasn't like that after where his influence became more of a penalty box striker.

For that reason Baggio is ahead of him and is an all time great as he did maintain his artistry play with the injuries. Neither won many club trophies that they should have though.

 

[B20]

Some of the hyperbole in this thread is a bit silly.

He was marvelous no doubt, but you can't begin to compare him to Messi.

Also, comments like Messi not having to endure the physicality Ronaldo did, that he was amazing for a decade - Makes me wonder how much people are just making up from youtube and wikipedia.

He was a mindblowingly devastating 9 for a season at barca who nonetheless was often floating on the edge of games. At Inter, he showed he could be the complete attacker and was much more than just a 9. In these two seasons, he won a cupwinners cup and a UEFA cup. And that was it for his club prowess at the level of a potential GOAT really.

Maybe if he rolled those two seasons into one season, was able to guide his team to a league title, we could begin to compare them. The truth is, the only level they can be compared is in the thought experiment "what if ronaldo didn't get injured and kept developing?"

 

[Cal?]

C.Ronaldo has nothing on the original Ronaldo.

Ronaldo was in a different league compared to C.Ronaldo

Luiz Ronaldo never even got close to the kind of numbers Cristiano has been putting up for 7-8 seasons.

Luiz Ronaldo won close to nothing in his club career. He had 2 seasons at Barca/Inter where he was close to the level Cristiano has been consistently at.

Nowhere near Cristiano over the course of their careers. Some people like to imagine what he might have achieved if he wasn't injured, but that fact is he was and he didn't achieve those things.

 

[IFC 1905]

Luiz Ronaldo never even got close to the kind of numbers Cristiano has been putting up for 7-8 seasons.

Luiz Ronaldo won close to nothing in his club career. He had 2 seasons at Barca/Inter where he was close to the level Cristiano has been consistently at.

Nowhere near Cristiano over the course of their careers. Some people like to imagine what he might have achieved if he wasn't injured, but that fact is he was and he didn't achieve those things.

LOL. Nowadays, Luiz Ronaldo being phisically at 100%, would score 50+each season, would've won more than a Liga, more than 2 UCLS for sure. Not to mention the fact that football was way more equal between teams by that time.

That's something we all know, for sure. It doesn't make Cristiano a bad player. But certainly the Phenomenon was something else.

 

[Cal?]

LOL. Nowadays, Luiz Ronaldo being phisically at 100%, would score 50+each season, would've won more than a Liga, more than 2 UCLS for sure. Not to mention the fact that football was way more equal between teams by that time.

That's something we all know, for sure. It doesn't make Cristiano a bad player. But certainly the Phenomenon was something else.

You just agreed with me, my point is people are rating him based on him remaining fit, but he didn't. Therefore, Cristiano Ronaldo has had the much better career and is the much better player.

 

[B20]

Placcy certainly achieved more. If you are asking who I want to pick for a world cup final with the player in question being at the top of his game, it'd be fatty though.

I might, might, even consider him ahead of Messi for such a one-off game.

 

[Bole Top]

47 goals in 49 games in his first season with Barca in such young age tells you everything. he had Yaya's strength and Ronaldo's speed and was almost unstoppable when he was fit. even Ibra admitted he was his idol the true phenomenon and comfortably better player than Cristiano.

 

[Spoony]

You just agreed with me, my point is people are rating him based on him remaining fit, but he didn't. Therefore, Cristiano Ronaldo has had the much better career and is the much better player.

 

[UweBein]

Yeah, it's no dig at Christiano, but Ronaldo vs. C. Ronaldo is a match with a clear winner = Luiz Ronaldo. I am not disputing the numbers that C. Ronaldo has reached and that he has had a great career.
There was this feeling of awe when Ronaldo did pull some things, whereas C. Ronaldo is basically the more effective, clinical player.

 

[IFC 1905]

You just agreed with me, my point is people are rating him based on him remaining fit, but he didn't. Therefore, Cristiano Ronaldo has had the much better career and is the much better player.

No. He had a better carreer, but that doesn't make him the better player.

 

[Cal?]

Yeah, it's no dig at Christiano, but Ronaldo vs. C. Ronaldo is a match with a clear winner = Luiz Ronaldo. I am not disputing the numbers that C. Ronaldo has reached and that he has had a great career.
There was this feeling of awe when Ronaldo did pull some things, whereas C. Ronaldo is basically the more effective, clinical player.

So you're essentially say you're ignoring all facts on the number of goals, trophies won, etc etc and simply basing your opinion on who was the more aesthetically pleasing?

 

[kafta]

Pique has won more than Rio over his career, that doesn't make him the better player. Cristiano has won more, but based on talent and ability (which is the point of this thread), R9 is a couple of levels above.

 

[Cal?]

No. He had a better carreer, but that doesn't make him the better player.

Luiz Ronaldo has only ever come close to Cristiano's level for the past 8 or so seasons in 2 seasons.

 

[Cal?]

Pique has won more than Rio over his career, that doesn't make him the better player. Cristiano has won more, but based on talent and ability (which is the point of this thread), R9 is a couple of levels above.

Cristiano Ronaldo has not only won more, but scored hundreds more goals (which is a fair comparison as they are both attacking players) than Luiz Ronaldo.

I'm not debating talent at all, but in terms of the better footballer over their careers, Cristiano is miles ahead.

 

[IFC 1905]

Luiz Ronaldo has only ever come close to Cristiano's level for the past 8 or so seasons in 2 seasons.

What do you mean by level? You just consider the number of goals someone scores or you also count on the fact Luiz Nazario could beat 3-4 players on his own or create goals out of nothing? Because this last thing is something Cristiano can't produce since he was with us.

 

[Cal?]

What do you mean by level? You just consider the number of goals someone scores or you also count on the fact Luiz Nazario could beat 3-4 players on his own or create goals out of nothing? Because this last thing is something Cristiano can't produce since he was with us.

How often has he done that since that first season at Inter? Most people are judging him based on what he could have achieved instead of what he did achieve, and some people are judging him based on Youtube highlights.

 

[kafta]

Cristiano Ronaldo has not only won more, but scored hundreds more goals (which is a fair comparison as they are both attacking players) than Luiz Ronaldo.

I'm not debating talent at all, but in terms of the better footballer over their careers, Cristiano is miles ahead.

In terms of careers and numbers, i agree Cristiano is ahead. And i also agree with the people saying what if R9 had stayed fit etc...

But when i think of Ronaldo, his talent for me supersedes trophies and numbers, he is simply the most talented footballer i have ever seen.

 

[Gio]

It really comes down to how much value you place on longevity in the all-time great debate. I've not seen a better three-year performance level than Ronaldo from 1996 to 1999 during the last 25 years.

 

[UweBein]

So you're essentially say you're ignoring all facts on the number of goals, trophies won, etc etc and simply basing your opinion on who was the more aesthetically pleasing?

I am basing my opinion of how I perceived his game and the impact he's had. He had more flair, did pull off the more impossible things and was a player who was more difficult to stop. Abilitywise he just showed a higher ceiling than C. Ronaldo.

 

[Cal?]

It really comes down to how much value you place on longevity in the all-time great debate. I've not seen a better three-year performance level than Ronaldo from 1996 to 1999 during the last 25 years.

Even more than Messi 09-12?

In terms of careers and numbers, i agree Cristiano is ahead. And i also agree with the people saying what if R9 had stayed fit etc...

But when i think of Ronaldo, his talent for me supersedes trophies and numbers, he is simply the most talented footballer i have ever seen.

That's fine, I can totally see why some people have that opinion, but I prefer to deal with what has transpired in his career, not what could have been.

 

[Cal?]

I am basing my opinion of how I perceived his game and the impact he's had. He had more flair, did pull off the more impossible things and was a player who was more difficult to stop. Abilitywise he just showed a higher ceiling than C. Ronaldo.

You're entitled to your opinion, but if you're going to judge players on 1-2 seasons rather than their overall career, Vardy is probably one of the strikers ever in the PL.

 

[Gol123]

First season at Inter, what defenders did he face?

 

[Rezyuz]

The finishing of Inzaghi
The dribbeling of Messi
The pace, shot, tricks and strength of C Ronaldo

And voila you have the best striker that has ever roamed this earth: R9

 

[2 man midfield]

if Barca Ronaldo enter our current side, we will do the double.

We could just about fit him in now Wilson's gone. If he's lucky.

 

[Cal?]

if Barca Ronaldo enter our current side, we will do the double.

Given the level of competition in the PL and the fact we're ahead of City & Arsenal at the moment, plenty of strikers will see us win the double.

 

[UweBein]

You're entitled to your opinion, but if you're going to judge players on 1-2 seasons rather than their overall career, Vardy is probably one of the strikers ever in the PL.

Again, numbers don't make a player. Vardy could score 60 this season and he'd be a good PL striker at best.
If you compare Iniesta vs. C. Ronaldo, the latter has clearly the better numbers, but the former is clearly the better player. The same with Ronaldo.

 

[Cal?]

Again, numbers don't make a player. Vardy could score 60 this season and he'd be a good PL striker at best.
If you compare Iniesta vs. C. Ronaldo, the latter has clearly the better numbers, but the former is clearly the better player. The same with Ronaldo.

Iniesta better than Cristiano Ronaldo?

*note to self, must refrain from getting dragged into stupid arguments*

 

[Sky1981]

He's a beauty and a monster at the same time, with him every 1 on 1 is a 50/50 goal.

 

[Gol123]

He's a beauty and a monster at the same time, with him every 1 on 1 is a 50/50 goal.

That's the same with every striker in that position