One of the best ever. Top 5 of all time if not higher. His antics over the last couple of years though have been terrible.

The thing is he could still offer a team a lot but it should now be as a squad player/impact sub.

I said months that Martinez continuing to pick him will be his downfall this summer and it’s almost proved to be the case.

It kind of says it all that Portugal won in 2016 with Ronaldo injured in the first half. He was more important to them back then of course, but you do feel the team would be better without him starting now.

comment by kinsang (U3346)
posted 23 seconds ago
It kind of says it all that Portugal won in 2016 with Ronaldo injured in the first half. He was more important to them back then of course, but you do feel the team would be better without him starting now.
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I don’t anyone other than those odd deluded fans boys disagree with that.

So often he looks disappointed/disinterested when team mates score (because he wanted to be the one scoring).

It's no doubt part of the reason he became so good but I just struggle to appreciate how good he is/was because of it.

It is his egomaniac demands to take every free-kick even though he is notoriously unsuccessful at them.

comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 27 seconds ago
It is his egomaniac demands to take every free-kick even though he is notoriously unsuccessful at them.
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the stats were like 1 in 60 odd at Euros and World Cups for shots scored from free kicks. Probably not quite in the Roberto Carlos stats status for conversions, but you would expect a bit better.............

Can't imagine Bruno going, maybe I should take one

The Bellingham goal the other night really got him worked up it seems. It is meant to be him scoring last minute overheads. Bellingham also now the main man at Real Madrid, winning the CL and La Liga. That was once Ronaldo. Bellingham getting the Ballon D'Or when Ronaldo must have thought he had a genuine chance if he was top scorer at these Euros. It felt like he was out there to show that he was still the main man. He kind of has nothing to lose now anyway so might as well go full Ronaldo and make it about him no matter what.

comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 7 minutes ago
One of the best ever. Top 5 of all time if not higher. His antics over the last couple of years though have been terrible.

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'couple of years'?

I can't say what he was like in his first United stint, but at Madrid he was unbearable pretty much from day one, give or take.

It's obvious that he'd never have been the player he was without his otherworldly drive to succeed, but out of all the so-called greats, he's by far the most thoroughly dislikable.

I can see why he splits opinion so much. His strops are ridiculous and he is incredibly arrogant.

However he's been a phenomenal player and backed up the arrogance with goals and trophies galore for over 20 years.

Only Messi above him for me. Not a bad place to be that.

the main man at Madrid these days is Vini Jr not Bellingham

Bellingham's performances for England in the EUROs have mirrored his performances for Madrid after Xmas.

Alot of poor play with with important goals

Like I've said before he reminds me of David Platt much more than Zidane

Of course all players are different, but you look at players like Cantona, or Zlatan, (I chose them as examples of players where there was that feeling it was 'about them', but you get they were really playing for the team, and had a good influence on players around them etc, whereas you feel with Ronaldo, he could be quite disruptive, especially in his post-early Utd times.

I am sure during his early career, SAF could exert a certain amount of control over him and of course he was developing, but I think in his final 2 years under SAF, Rooney sacrificed himself for the good of Ronaldo and the team - post Ronaldo, Rooney showed how important he was for us.

I could be wrong - I get younger players would be told, work as hard as Ronaldo does etc, but he doesn't give the impression of someone who would help bring young players along, but that is just an impression I get.

comment by Peks - Comanche Moon (U6618)
posted 2 minutes ago
the main man at Madrid these days is Vini Jr not Bellingham

Bellingham's performances for England in the EUROs have mirrored his performances for Madrid after Xmas.

Alot of poor play with with important goals

Like I've said before he reminds me of David Platt much more than Zidane
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Bellingham is still Ronaldo's main rival for the Ballon D'Or at the euros. Bellingham got player of the year in La Liga. Ronaldo is purely focused on getting top scorer at the Euros and whatever record comes with scoring at least one goal. So it is very much about what he can achieve individually.

comment by kinsang (U3346)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 27 seconds ago
It is his egomaniac demands to take every free-kick even though he is notoriously unsuccessful at them.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
the stats were like 1 in 60 odd at Euros and World Cups for shots scored from free kicks. Probably not quite in the Roberto Carlos stats status for conversions, but you would expect a bit better.............

Can't imagine Bruno going, maybe I should take one
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think I read a few years ago that ronaldo is statistically the worst free kick taker of all time

comment by Nickasaurus (U9257)
posted 10 seconds ago
comment by kinsang (U3346)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 27 seconds ago
It is his egomaniac demands to take every free-kick even though he is notoriously unsuccessful at them.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
the stats were like 1 in 60 odd at Euros and World Cups for shots scored from free kicks. Probably not quite in the Roberto Carlos stats status for conversions, but you would expect a bit better.............

Can't imagine Bruno going, maybe I should take one
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think I read a few years ago that ronaldo is statistically the worst free kick taker of all time
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry that was probably one of mine, probably true though.

Him crying last night was hilarious, he’s a freak. He might be more dislikable than Messi because of his antics but then again Messi is so unbelievably boring (when he doesn’t have a football at his feet) and because of that I kind of love Ronaldo, there’s no one else like him. But I totally get why many don’t like him.

https://tenor.com/bnh7n.gif

He's an emotional guy and his strops do tend to come in heated moments. I'm pretty sure wants it dies down he's overall a positive influence for his professionalism.

If he could park his ego a bit and accept the role of super sub then I reckon he'd have more of an influence on the pitch too. He'd fare far better against tiring defences and get more chance to be the hero.

comment by kinsang (U3346)
posted 15 minutes ago
Of course all players are different, but you look at players like Cantona, or Zlatan, (I chose them as examples of players where there was that feeling it was 'about them', but you get they were really playing for the team, and had a good influence on players around them etc, whereas you feel with Ronaldo, he could be quite disruptive, especially in his post-early Utd times.

I am sure during his early career, SAF could exert a certain amount of control over him and of course he was developing, but I think in his final 2 years under SAF, Rooney sacrificed himself for the good of Ronaldo and the team - post Ronaldo, Rooney showed how important he was for us.

I could be wrong - I get younger players would be told, work as hard as Ronaldo does etc, but he doesn't give the impression of someone who would help bring young players along, but that is just an impression I get.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
At least Cantona and Zlatan both had a sense of humour, and you could tell that a lot of their self-aggrandisement was tongue-in-cheek.

CRy7 seems to inhabit a film that takes place in world all of his own, where he's some kind of all-action Hollywood character for whom the script must necessarily play out in a certain way. I find him quite weird.

Wouldn’t hurt to show a little humility ?

He did after scoring in the shoot out

comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 59 minutes ago
One of the best ever. Top 5 of all time if not higher. His antics over the last couple of years though have been terrible.

The thing is he could still offer a team a lot but it should now be as a squad player/impact sub.

I said months that Martinez continuing to pick him will be his downfall this summer and it’s almost proved to be the case.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah he's been a right plum.

On the flip side of your point regarding whether he can still be a good influence on the squad, I think you can see how much his team mates respect him and almost want to win for him more than themselves.

Ioag

And that’s what makes him so fascinating, he’s such a weirdo. It’s funny how both Messi and Ronaldo are weirdos but in very different ways.

You ever seen the comedy Diamantino, clearly a nod to Ronaldo in parts, worth a watch.

I think we sometimes don’t fully appreciate just how much Ronaldo is idolised by many footballers. Even though he stinks the room a bit with his attitude I’m sure many of the Portuguese squad love him being there and are very inspired by what he’s achieved on the pitch.

Cristiano Homelander

comment by Nickasaurus (U9257)
posted 39 minutes ago
comment by kinsang (U3346)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 27 seconds ago
It is his egomaniac demands to take every free-kick even though he is notoriously unsuccessful at them.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
the stats were like 1 in 60 odd at Euros and World Cups for shots scored from free kicks. Probably not quite in the Roberto Carlos stats status for conversions, but you would expect a bit better.............

Can't imagine Bruno going, maybe I should take one
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think I read a few years ago that ronaldo is statistically the worst free kick taker of all time
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't understand how he managed to get worse at them.

On the flip side of your point regarding whether he can still be a good influence on the squad, I think you can see how much his team mates respect him and almost want to win for him more than themselves.

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That can also be to the detriment of the team: if there's too much idolisation of / deference to Ronaldo, sometimes the wrong decisions are made, sometimes other players don't step up and take responsibility.

He still has flashes of brilliance, but increasingly I struggle to see him as a player who improves Portugal, rather than as a black hole who sucks in and crushes all light, energy and everything that is holy.

I can’t stand Ronaldo anymore. The only ex player who comes close is Rio Ferdinand. A thick muppet of the highest order.