The Ronaldo Debate

[jebus]

We started talking about this in the RTE Panel thread, but I didn't want to take too off topic so I decided to start this thread about whether or not Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world, if he can go on to be one of the greats and if he isn't the best player in the world, then who is?

Personally I don't think has the same sort of spark that set Zidane, Maradona and Pele apart, in my mind they are the big three as far as football legends go, and I can't see Ronaldo ever breaking into that bracketing. As for if he's the best player in the world today and if not then who? Well for my money Kaka of AC Milan beats him hands down. He's got the same skills as Ronaldo, but has a better footballing head about him. I think a lot of the Ronaldo hype has a lot to do with the British media wanting the Premiership to have the best player in the world playing in that league. If Kaka were to sign for Chelsea this summer, and Ronaldo left United for (say) Real Madrid, they'd start hyping Kaka in the same way they have done Ronaldo.

All that said though Ronaldo is a far better player than Wayne Rooney

[2legged tackle]

If Kaka were to sign for Chelsea this summer, and Ronaldo left United for (say) Real Madrid, they'd start hyping Kaka in the same way they have done Ronaldo.

All that said though Ronaldo is a far better player than Wayne Rooney

I don't think that the hype is all about the British media trying to say they have the best player in the world. I think alot of the reason the hype is so much is also because Cristiano Ronaldo was virtually unheard of before he signed for United so I don't think its fair to say if Kaka came to Chelsea and Ronaldo was to go he would get the same attention.

As for the best player in the world I wouldn't put Ronaldo in a league with any of those mentioned. All though extremely talented I don't think he has the footballing brain that Zidane, Maradona or Péle posessed, which I think Rooney has.

I'd take Rooney ahead of Ronaldo because its easy to forget that Rooney is just a bit low in confidence but still one of the best players in the premiership week in week out. Also as the two get older. What will happen when Ronaldo hits his thirtys and loses his pace. Most great players are judged on there late twentys early thirtys so in years to come I think Rooney will prove a much better player.

[anto1208]

Best player ever !! i think you wont find anyone saying that .

Best at the moment then yes and i dont think its just hype look at the number of goals and assists from midfield any striker would love to have those stats .He performs against the small teams and on the big stage very consistantly .

Kaka or ronaldinho havent done it for me this season

[Risteard]

Messi is **** hot at the moment but if we're talking attacking players I'd have Ronaldinho and Kaka ahead of Cristiano.

IMO Chelsea are among the top three clubs in the world but still have one player without whom they're half the team.
John Terry.

Quite possibly the only under-rated English international ever.

[feo123]

those g****tes on RTE are never happy! they started talking about how roma just gave up after going 3-0 down and thats the reason united won so comfortably, they couldn't just say well done uinited, different class, too good.... there always has to be a negative with them.
if ronaldo does something class they'll find something he done wrong in the game and talk more about that! same for most players they talk about....there a bunch of knockers and hipocrits!

[lim abroad]

not a big fan of ronaldinho myself,fails to produce sometimes when it matters imo,love watching ronaldo though,his improvement from the time he signed with united to this season has been incredible

[Closed Account 2]

I think Simao of Benfica is actually a better player than Ronaldo

[anto1208]

Messi is **** hot at the moment but if we're talking attacking players I'd have Ronaldinho and Kaka ahead of Cristiano.

IMO Chelsea are among the top three clubs in the world but still have one player without whom they're half the team.
John Terry.

Quite possibly the only under-rated English international ever.

This season ??

[superfrank]

I think Ronaldo is definitely the best attacking player in the Premiership for the time being. He is probably one of the best in the world at the moment. I don't think he will ever be on the same level as the great names mentioned as he doesn't always do the smart thing, even now that he's matured.

[NeilMcD]

I think at the moment on he is the most on form player in the world right now. If I was a defender I would not like to face him than any other player at the moment.

[elroy]

Ronaldo is a top player and has had a fantastic season for United, however he is not the finished article by any means and needs to produce this type of form consistently over a few seasons to be considered as one of the greats.
He is not the greatest finisher IMO, his record in Europe shows this, however he has improved an awful lot with his finishing since last year. Furthermore for the amount of ball that he receives he does not create enough as he could, too many times he gets in decent positions without delivering a final cross/pass/shot etc, however this is an area of his game that has improved since last year and if he continues these improvements then he will be worthy to be considered one of the greats.

For me, the best player in the premiership, although he has had a terrible season with injuries, burn out etc is Henry.

[Risteard]

This season ??

Yes everything I said, except Ronaldinho who has mixed some poor form with some unbelievable performances aswell.

[jebus]

Best player ever !! i think you wont find anyone saying that .

Best at the moment then yes and i dont think its just hype look at the number of goals and assists from midfield any striker would love to have those stats .He performs against the small teams and on the big stage very consistantly .

Well the Gaurdian stated that he is United's best attacking player since George Best, who is always rated in the English press as one of the best players ever. The tabloids seem to suggest he's on the verge of being mentioned in the same breath as Maradona and Zidane, and its only a matter of time at this stage

As for Cristiano performing on the big stage consistantly, honestly I think he goes missing in a lot of big games, and doesn't have the same impact as he does on the smaller teams. Same can be said of Thierry Henry, another player I think is fantastic (and a better attacking option that Ronaldo), but he goes missing on the big nights, or at least he has in the past few seasons anyway

[anto1208]

Well the Gaurdian stated that he is United's best attacking player since George Best, who is always rated in the English press as one of the best players ever. The tabloids seem to suggest he's on the verge of being mentioned in the same breath as Maradona and Zidane, and its only a matter of time at this stage

As for Cristiano performing on the big stage consistantly, honestly I think he goes missing in a lot of big games, and doesn't have the same impact as he does on the smaller teams. Same can be said of Thierry Henry, another player I think is fantastic (and a better attacking option that Ronaldo), but he goes missing on the big nights, or at least he has in the past few seasons anyway

So did zidane so did maradona, ronaldinho goes missing for large chunks of every game ( namely when the ball is in the barca half ) , i can remember games with maradona and he was shocking doesnt mean he was nt a great player .

No player will be brilliant for 90 mins every game they will come in and out of it , but ronaldo is only 21 when he hits his peak at 28 then we can judge him against zidane etc but not untill then . I still think at the moment on current form he is the best

[2legged tackle]

I know there two completly different players but if your on about performing on the big stage, Nesta was unbelivable in the world cup, and as for last night. Top class!
I know he'll never get the same attention as Ronaldo but for me Nesta is the best footballer in the world.

[Risteard]

I thought he only played two games in Germany.
Cannavaro was the hero there.

[Metrostars]

People have to remember that Ronaldo is only 21. Was Zidane considered one of the best players in the world at 21? No. Was Maradona? Not really, especially considering the hype about him before the 1982 World Cup and his failure then.

Ronaldo is still evolving as a player and still learning. I just thinks it's funny before the Roma game Dunphy says it is time for Ronaldo to play well in these big games and then afterwards still doesnt count him as a great player.

[Risteard]

He's 22.
Messi is 3 years younger than him and better already.

[Marked Man]

, Nesta was unbelivable in the world cup, and as for last night. Top class!
.

He was certainly very good at going to ground any time there was an opponent anywhere near him.

[Ceirtlis]

Ronaldo has been the player of the season in the premiership for me without a doubt. You have to remember the vilification he was getting in the press in England in the summer when you say that he is overhyped by the media. They were dying for him to have a bad season so they could keep on having a go at him. That said i think his glory hunting is going to stop him from being the player he should be. He can be a bit of a drama queen at times with referees, he sometimes tries to round a whole defense and has a tendency to shoot from free kicks from about 40 yards when he has no chance of scoring. I wouldnt be surprised if got carried away with the superstar lifestyle later in his career like David Beckham. Smashing player though.