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Many things are said about Cristiano Ronaldo. Some say he’s arrogant, some say he has a big heart, some say his step overs are pointless, and some say his hunger for success has become an obsession.
Rival players from Barcelona say that he’s a good guy, and not at all what his public image says he is.
“I know him very well and he is a friendly guy. His public image does not correspond with how he is in real life”, Pique said.
“People base their opinion on gestures or comments without really knowing anything. I should say that from what I’ve seen recently he’s changed a bit, but personally I like the guy – he helped me a lot when I arrived at Manchester United.”
But as far as rivalries go, some people will always hate him.
Football fans have seen blazing, hate-filled comments online directed at the Portuguese superstar; but just like Ali versus Frazier, there will always be a public disconnection between confidence, swagger, and cockiness and an allegedly more humble demeanour.
But sporting purists talk about the athletic qualities of a player, not their personalities, and when we assess Ronaldo’s continued ascent in sporting excellence, we have to ask ourselves: Is Ballon d’Or three on its way?
Ronaldo’s goal scoring rate is sublime.
At more than a goal a game, he has scored 240 goals in 235 appearances for Real Madrid. He continues to break goal scoring records, club records, and La Liga records.
Like Messi at Barcelona, he is literally rewriting the history books.
Comparatively, Ronaldo is a better player this season than Messi, and it looks as though another La Liga title is in his grasp.
After firing Portugal into the Brazil World Cup, the country’s highest ever goal scorer proved that he can replicate his club form with the national team and now the world is hoping to see him lift the much-coveted prize in July.
With a list of record-breaking achievements far too long to describe in this article, even the most anti-Ronaldo fan has to acknowledge his sporting dominance.
Already a legend, if he wins the World Cup with Portugal, he will be immortalised forever. If Messi wins it, he too will become a timeless icon.
This is the only prize missing from their resumes, and the one that most football fans agree will settle the debate, once and for all.
But despite a win or a loss for Ronaldo, as it currently stands, he is in main contention for his third Ballon d’Or, adding to his first at Manchester United, and his second last season.
In a league where as much as a draw can cost you the title, Ronaldo has the chance to secure La Liga and win the Copa del Rey.
Champions League success is also on the horizon, with Schalke’s 6-1 mauling sending a strong message to the crown’s contenders.
This could well be Ronaldo’s best season to date, which seems almost surreal to say given how wildly successful his career has been.
At 29, he shows no signs of slowing down, but instead promising signs of speeding up. At the end of the day when he hangs up his boots, history will judge him, and when they do, he will surely have more than two Ballon d’Or titles to his name.
Anthony is the author of “Football Obsession: An Inside Look Into The Global Game”, which peaked at #2 on the Amazon Bestsellers Charts. It’s available from Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo. Get your copy today.
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