Ronaldo 9 appreciation thread

[zukai12_]

PSV or something?

Inter, Hodgson managed them twice and nearlly won UEFA cup

 

[ArtetaMoney]

There were some great defenders in that time that he made look bang average.

Was a very good era for players back then, the likes of Kaka, Ronaldinho, Figo, Zidane, Rivaldo and the likes. Not sure we’ll see anything like that in terms of numbers, ever again. Only really Messi and Ronaldo in this era that could compete with them.

 

[Terrarian]

There were some great defenders in that time that he made look bang average.

Was a very good era for players back then, the likes of Kaka, Ronaldinho, Figo, Zidane, Rivaldo and the likes. Not sure we’ll see anything like that in terms of numbers, ever again. Only really Messi and Ronaldo in this era that could compete with them.

That French team was unreal as well at that time

 

[Bruce Wayne]

He's probably someone you'd put in the same category as Ronaldinho or van Basten, who also had a couple of seasons when they were simply out of this world but who were unable to sustain it for various reasons. Hence you get all of these comments about "he would have been up there with xyz if he didn't have the injuries", but sadly he did, so we'll never know. Some of his performances during those peak years at Barca and Inter were incredible, but then so were those by Ronaldinho and van Basten. To be spoken of as the best striker of all time you have to do that for much longer than Ronaldo has managed. Indeed, given his shift of position, Christiano Ronaldo is quite a way ahead as the best #9 ever given the performances he's put in over such a long period of time. I'd even put someone like Puskas ahead of him for the same reason. You can only deal with what has been, not what might have been.

 

[artetas_biggest_fan]

There isn't a striker currently playing anywhere near this lads level.

There hasn’t been one since Pele.

 

[JMT]

I don't give an F about the stats, He's top 3 of all time and I don't care.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

There were some great defenders in that time that he made look bang average.

Was a very good era for players back then, the likes of Kaka, Ronaldinho, Figo, Zidane, Rivaldo and the likes. Not sure we’ll see anything like that in terms of numbers, ever again. Only really Messi and Ronaldo in this era that could compete with them.

Mbappe, Neymar, Lewandowski, de Bruyne are all on that level. It's just that Ronaldo and Messi are the next level up.

 

[artetas_biggest_fan]

One of my favourite non Blues. Surely the number 9 in any football fans greatest XI of all-time. He was that good that people don't remember him mostly for that haircut in 2002. The only instance when someone from St Helens been a couple of years ahead in the 'fashion stakes'.

A greatest all time XI he walks in.

He was completely unstoppable at Barcelona, just used to run past everyone and score. No idea why he wanted to go to Inter apart from money.

Bobby Robson said "it shows in Milan and it's sunny all year round in Barcelona why on earth does he want to go there?"

Inter were filthy rich under Moratti, but terribly run. It made what Ronaldo did there all the more impressive. Sandro Mazzola (took Ronaldo to Inter) lights up he talks about him. There’s only a handful of footballers with the ball control he possessed, but none at such speed.

 

[artetas_biggest_fan]

I'd argue he ended up being underrated through his career.

Never seen him in person, but to be able to dribble at pace, whilst destroying some of the worlds best players in the process is just someting you don't see very often. What a player.

Think you are right, and a major reason for that is a certain less talented Portuguese who has usurped the name. Cristiano is obviously a great player, certainly top 10 all time, but the hype machine aided with the social media age has exaggerated his ability beyond all proportion. Although Ronaldo was the most famous sportsman in the world in his prime, there’s an extra celebrity layer with Cristiano (first person on the planet with half a billion followers) which has ramped him up to the extreme.

Cristiano gets credit for Portugal winning Euro 2016 (which is often used by his devotees in an argument against Messi...overlooking the minor fact he was a cheerleader in the final when Portugal beat France). Contrast this with Ronaldo who having not kicked a ball for Brazil in over two years (missing their entire 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign which was their worst to date), came into the team on the eve of the tournament and at no more than 60 or 70% of what he was finished top goalscorer and scored both goals in the final. Cristiano in his prime has never had a tournament remotely close to it.

Were people calling him “Fat Ronaldo” at the time or was that only after his career? It might actually hurt his reputation.

Ferguson called him it (to contrast him with Cristiano). Even when fat and past his best he was still the best player Fergie ever saw play at Old Trafford when he turfed United out of the CL in ‘03.

 

[longers]

Always remember Bobby Robson's reaction to his famous goal against some team I cant remember, Deportivo maybe ?

 

[Gwladys St. Glory]

He's probably someone you'd put in the same category as Ronaldinho or van Basten, who also had a couple of seasons when they were simply out of this world but who were unable to sustain it for various reasons. Hence you get all of these comments about "he would have been up there with xyz if he didn't have the injuries", but sadly he did, so we'll never know. Some of his performances during those peak years at Barca and Inter were incredible, but then so were those by Ronaldinho and van Basten. To be spoken of as the best striker of all time you have to do that for much longer than Ronaldo has managed. Indeed, given his shift of position, Christiano Ronaldo is quite a way ahead as the best #9 ever given the performances he's put in over such a long period of time. I'd even put someone like Puskas ahead of him for the same reason. You can only deal with what has been, not what might have been.

You're talking guano, bat boy... Unfortunately, your point has merit...just not enough for some of us.

R9=One of the GOATs

 

[Del-boy]

I’m sure he played at Goodison.

 

[fabricsince1985]

To my mind it is far much easier to score due to how the games changed in the last 5 - 10 yrs. Messi in particular elevated the standards of what a high scoring season was. Cristiano quickly caught up an they were the benchmark. But Sterling scoring 20 tap ins an being lauded as a great player is a joke to me. Ronaldo was a precursor to Messi. Anyone who thinks Ronaldo wouldn't have been a peer of Messi an Cristiano is foolish to my mind. He is a stellar player. On another level ability wise.

 

[Lapeno77]

 

[artetas_biggest_fan]

He's probably someone you'd put in the same category as Ronaldinho or van Basten, who also had a couple of seasons when they were simply out of this world but who were unable to sustain it for various reasons. Hence you get all of these comments about "he would have been up there with xyz if he didn't have the injuries", but sadly he did, so we'll never know. Some of his performances during those peak years at Barca and Inter were incredible, but then so were those by Ronaldinho and van Basten. To be spoken of as the best striker of all time you have to do that for much longer than Ronaldo has managed. Indeed, given his shift of position, Christiano Ronaldo is quite a way ahead as the best #9 ever given the performances he's put in over such a long period of time. I'd even put someone like Puskas ahead of him for the same reason. You can only deal with what has been, not what might have been.

Terrible summation and comparison.

Longevity is a silly argument. Are the Stones better than the Beatles?

Ronaldo by age 22 had scored over 200 goals, and but for a convulsive fit hours before the ‘98 World Cup final (in a tournament in which he was voted the best player) he would have been named FIFA World Player of the Year for the third straight year. Neither Messi nor Cristiano had got close to winning one by that age.

To compare him with Ronaldinho highlights complete ignorance of his ability. It’s akin to comparing Magic Johnson with Michael Jordan. Ronaldo could do everything Ronaldinho could do, but much faster, with more end product and was a goal machine to boot.



In two World Cups, Ronaldo was the best player (‘98, in his prime), and the top goalscorer (‘02, past his prime). In the Copa America he was the best player (‘97) and top goalscorer (‘99). Ronaldinho never came close to that level at a single tournament nevermind four, neither did Cristiano Ronaldo. Van Basten (completely anonymous in his prime in Italia 90 World Cup) was a great penalty box finisher, but heavily reliant on service. He finished stuff off. Ronaldo was a one man attack who took the centre forward position to a new level by drifting far outfield and running past defenders akin to a wide player/attacking midfielder. He created goals for himself. The team could play badly, but he could win it on his own. The like of Van Basten needed the team to do well for him to do well. Thierry Henry, a similar style of forward to Ronaldo who followed in his footsteps, is widely regarded as the greatest PL player ever...ball park figure but he’s maybe 65% of what Ronaldo was. And mentioning the ilk of Puskas, a slow, unathletic forward when the game was played at walking pace. You may as well bring up some 19th century white prize fighter (Bob Fitzsimmons) and compare him with a supreme athlete like Ali.

Those who worked with Ronaldo (Mourinho, Capello, Robson) say he was the best. Those who played with him (Zidane, Kaka, Vieiri) say he was the best. In his prime that is what he was.