Except when they play a final. Then they'll win it without him.
Ronaldo is the goat
- Thread starter Billy Blaggs
- Start date
As long as they miss as many great chances as I've seen in a final that big it shouldn't be hard.
We can also go to Andorra and struggle to break them down or go to Switzerland and lose 2-0.
Joke thread.
I think Banega and Mascherano have been poor this WC. Banega was definitely better than Biglia but ultimately none of them were incisive enough. I saw big improvements in the Nigeria game but that output dissipated as the game went on and Nigeria wrested control in the middle. Portugal rely heavily on Ronaldo of course but in recent times Nani has been slotting in with some important goals when Ronaldo couldn't get a look in. Quaresma did well but he doesn't have as much an understanding with Ronaldo as Ronaldo developed with Nani. Nani's omission was the biggest surprise for me. Bernado Silva needed to step up as well, he has the ability to make things happen.
I don't agree personally. The people that think he's the best don't think he's a playmaker that's going to run a game when his team are struggling. They just value that side of the game less. The people who value it more don't consider Ronaldo the best. Nothing about his performance changed any of those perceptions or his status within those perceptions, IMO. So it's just two groups of people talking over each other for the most part.
Aye, it's mind-numbingly tedious. If you've got a horse in that 'GOAT' race, the lengths which people have reached to and the fickle reactionary nature of it all has been exasparatingly childish.
If he had any chance of being universally considered the greatest player ever this World Cup was his last chance, now he's going to be besides other names and whatever happens from here on out won't really change much. His international achievements will get apreciated in due time when Portugal never come close to replicating consistently good results as the ones we've had during his time here.
Great season for him though and a good World Cup that makes him the big favourite to win the Ballon D'Or. No doubt that he'll be remembered as the best player of his generation as he's continued to outperform Messi in the Champions League and internationally, it's just a shame a lot of that has come through Messi failing and that there shouldn't really be much time left at the top for either of them.
Great season for him though and a good World Cup that makes him the big favourite to win the Ballon D'Or. No doubt that he'll be remembered as the best player of his generation as he's continued to outperform Messi in the Champions League and internationally, it's just a shame a lot of that has come through Messi failing and that there shouldn't really be much time left at the top for either of them.
Yeah you tell yourself that mateSame way Spain went to Armenia in the 2010 QF being Euro Champions and struggled to defeat them, 1-2 with a Penalty goal. Welcome to international football.
Amen, another good reason for Ronaldo to go home is that the Caf will be more tolerable. The constant debates between the 2 are toxic. I honestly cannot wait for both of them to retire from football. We need to move on
Pogba said today he is happy to beat Argentina and "the best player in the world." It sure seems like the only players and coaches that say Ronaldo is the best are current and former teammates. Most everyone else says Messi with much conviction. Anyway, time for this thread to go away.
Exactly. I think you were trying to disagree with me but that's what I was saying...
It was a counterpoint.
He was shocking today. That penalty miss vs Iran cost them an easier tie.
Or he's still butthurt over 2014.
"We have played against the best player in the world.
"When you play against the best football player of the last ten years, I watch and learn from him.
"Messi makes me love football. He will always be my idol."
Nice, we're on the same side for once.
Now, time to make a wish, Spain to win the WC?
I'd usually support Spain too but you guys have had enough joy in recent years so I'll just root for Brazil and the underdogs.Nice, we're on the same side for once.
Now, time to make a wish, Spain to win the WC?
No. Maradona took the title in 1986 and has never relinquished it
He'd of said the same thing if he'd just beaten Portugal. Just bigging up their win.
But then the dreaded Gerd Muller criticisms become valid...
Fwiw, I think he has an aura when he's in the box, something you could sense today as well. Every corner conceded becomes a potential catastrophe with him in the opposition, and that in itself is a weapon.
But IMO that can't make him the GOAT - he simply doesn't have the skillset and mastery the others in the conversation did/do.
What counts against Messi for me is his *personal* failures in the 3 national finals, not being able to produce a moment of magic over 270+ mins. Score in the 2014 final and this debate would be dead. Everything else, his club record, including in big games, KOs, finals, everything he has. Just not for Argentina in the biggest stage.
He got high and fell off that throne even quicker than he attained it.
He looked like a goat indeed.
Still think the discussion is framed wrongly. Should all be about peak ability. What is best someone has ever played the game of football ever. I think you'd be hard pushed to say any single one of Ronaldo's seasons or years have been better than 2009-2012ish Messi. Maradona was great but I didn't see him at his peak so can't comment. Obviously didn't see Pele. I still rate Ronaldo's (original) peak over Cristiano, but I can see why that's unpopular. Still have Cristiano top-5 from who I've seen though.
Completely agree with the poster above me. A discussion like this should be about peak ability and Ronaldo is not on Messi’s level there. Ronaldo has been the better player over the last 3 years which is where football fans and their amnesia start calling him the best ever.
The fact is Messi from about 2009-2012 and then again in 2015 was probably the greatest level any footballer has ever been at. He was completely ridiculous. He scored 73 goals in one season for feck sake. Ronaldo from about 2007-2014 was also completely stunning and ridiculous but just not as good as Messi. At one point it was commonly accepted that Messi was better reflected in the 4 Ballon D’ors in a row. Just because Ronaldo is arguably better now doesn’t mean he is the ‘GOAT’. In their prime, Messi was the better player.
Then there are other players who could easily have a claim that can’t be dismissed. I suppose the longevity of Messi and Ronaldo is why they will probably be remembered as the two best ever. They have dominated the Sport with one or the other always being the best player in the world since about 2006.
The fact is Messi from about 2009-2012 and then again in 2015 was probably the greatest level any footballer has ever been at. He was completely ridiculous. He scored 73 goals in one season for feck sake. Ronaldo from about 2007-2014 was also completely stunning and ridiculous but just not as good as Messi. At one point it was commonly accepted that Messi was better reflected in the 4 Ballon D’ors in a row. Just because Ronaldo is arguably better now doesn’t mean he is the ‘GOAT’. In their prime, Messi was the better player.
Then there are other players who could easily have a claim that can’t be dismissed. I suppose the longevity of Messi and Ronaldo is why they will probably be remembered as the two best ever. They have dominated the Sport with one or the other always being the best player in the world since about 2006.
Ronaldo and Messi will only be remembered as the two best players ever primarily by millennials and people under 40. A lot of older people still rate other footballers as good or better.
There's an argument for Messi being GOAT I can buy (even without a WC), but there's absolutely none for Ronaldo. Ronaldo rarely if ever pulls off an assist like Messi did for Aguero's goal yesterday, Messi does those on a weekly basis for Barcelona ffs.
Ronaldo's game is much more limited after being a pure goalscorer. He's basically a more athletic version of Gerd Muller (who also scored 600 goals in 600 games). Ronaldo doesn't dribble any near as well as Maradona/Messi, his passing range is nowhere near as good as Zidane/Platini/Messi/Maradona/Cruyff, he's nowhere near a good free kick taker as Messi/Maradona. Arguably the best header of the ball ever though.
I would rank in the top 10 for definite, I'm not sure I'm rank him in the top 5 since I think there are better overall 'footballers' than Ronaldo.
Messi for me would be in the top 3 along Maradona and Pele, I think he is in the top GOAT tier since he can do absolutely everything on a football pitch like they both could.
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I absolutely love ronaldo but when it comes to goat... a lot of you need some education.
Enjoy
Enjoy
Dybala plays in the same position as Messi, Aguero and Higuain too occupy one position at best in the team.
Goalkeeper - Portugal is many times better.
Fullbacks - Portugal marginally better IMO.
Center backs - on par I think.
DM - While Mascherano was an amazing player, a younger Carvalho has obviously been better.
CM - it's not outrageous to suggest that Joau Maria and Adrien Silva are on par with Enzo Perez and Ever Banega.
And Bernardo Silva is better than the current Di Maria.
Point is Portugal is not as inferior as it is made out to be. They have a decent and a balanced squad than Argentina IMO.
Top 5 of all time, not the goat.
Perfect last night. Seeing this Fonze wannabe rolling up his shorts to take that freekick to smash it into the wall. The crowing jewel was the yellow card which would have prevented him playing the next match anyway. Goodbye Cris
Ronaldo just isn't the better player even now. Have people actually watched the both of them play this past season? Ronaldo only turned up in Jan. Messi outdid him on the numbers and had an absolutely amazing season in terms of his overall play. Every bit as good as 2015 but without the recognition because he didn't win the CL.
Has to be up there with the most premature, embarrassingly cringey threads ever created on the forum.
Pele is a legend and it's the normal argument of what if etc they had the same training / physio etc etc the players do today. All that video showed me was there was some simple tap ins, play was a lot slower and skill levels weren't on the same par as today.
I personally don't think there will ever be a GOAT but just legends of the past who we all appreciate, players who at this point in time are a stand above.
I think not many would argue with a top 5 of Pele / Maradona / Messi / Ronaldo (in any order based on so many arguments) and the 5th is the debate we should be having...
Probably Cristiano, but it's a debate you're right.
If Ronaldo is the goat, why did the richest club in the world sell him?
You wouldn't? It's probably the last chance Real would get to cash in on him and invest in the team especially with Zidane quitting. Considering they already got the full best years of him and getting back more than what they spent to bring him in the first place. Sure maybe he still has 2 or 3 years in his tank for a good season but considering the circumstances, there's a good chance Real came out on top if they haven't already.
Additionally it seems like Ronaldo wanted the move rather than the club wanting him to leave.
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They offered him a chunky contract.
Who United? Dunno
He’s not the goat. Neither is Messi.
If he does well in Italy, he'd have done the business in all three of Europe's top leagues (i.e. where there's a semblance of competition) and he'd certainly be above Messi in the conversation for GOAT, not that I personally care about it all that much.
Amen. Close this thread!