There are plenty of factors that make it difficult to judge Cristiano Ronaldo’s ability to score goals in big games. Whether he can do so remains to be seen, as is the bloated squad. But is the 23-year-old in danger of becoming a flop? Here are some things to consider. Firstly, he is only 23 years old, and he has not yet played in big games, international tournaments, or against the best teams. Therefore, we cannot compare him to the legends of the past.
Ronaldo’s goal-scoring ability in big games
The goal clinched the Champions League title for Real Madrid in the 2008 World Cup, and established the Portuguese superstar as one of the world’s greatest players. Ronaldo scored two goals in three minutes against Portsmouth, one from a one-two with Nani and the other from a free-kick that whipped into the top corner. The goal was a stunning display of vision and self-belief by the Portuguese superstar.
When compared with Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal-scoring ability is almost unmatched. His natural scoring instinct combined with his physical attributes have allowed him to score many iconic goals. Cristiano Ronaldo has netted 22 goals in the final of a game. That’s a record that no other player can match. With so many goals in the bag, Ronaldo is a worthy contender for the award.
One of the things that separates Ronaldo from Messi is his ball-handling abilities. Messi is able to pass the ball with extreme accuracy. In fact, he has nutmegged thousands of defenders during his career. And because he is so fast, he knows the trajectory of his passes. This means he can make any pass. And he never plays a bad ball.
The Portuguese superstar equaled the record of Italian striker Michel Platini in the Euros scoring charts. Ronaldo’s goal-scoring ability in big games has earned him the nickname “Mr. Clutch”. However, this season, Ronaldo has excelled in such situations more than ever before. A few of his most memorable moments include the Euro 2016 final and his goal against Granada in the UEFA Champions League.
Ronaldo’s goals have helped Juventus qualify for the Coppa Italia final and a 2-1 win against Inter at the San Siro. However, Juventus will need more than Ronaldo to win Europe’s elite club competition. Juventus have failed to qualify for the semifinals of the Champions League since Ronaldo moved to Turin. In addition to Ronaldo, no other Juventus player has reached the knockout stage in the Champions League.
Despite this, Messi’s passing ability is not comparable to Ronaldo’s. Real Madrid and Barcelona play fast, attacking football with intricate passing. Ronaldo has 80% passing accuracy and a vision of the pitch, and he created 30 chances in La Liga last season. While Messi may be more prolific, Ronaldo is more focused at the centre of the field. Despite his emergence as a centre-forward, he has surpassed Messi in the all-time European Cup scoring charts.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s goals have helped Portugal reach the World Cup for the first time. The European team was down two goals from the first leg, and a hat trick from the Portuguese superstar lifted Portugal to the quarterfinals. The goal made the difference. However, the Portuguese team has had to fight hard to win the World Cup since a 2-0 loss to Sweden in the qualifying playoff.
Ronaldo’s relationship with coach Solskjaer
Manchester United have been struggling lately. Cristiano Ronaldo has been a bright spot this season, scoring five goals in five games, but it’s not clear how his relationship with coach Solskjaer has changed over the course of the season. After all, the Portuguese international was a teammate of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford from 2003 to 2007.
The Portuguese superstar’s relationship with Solskjaer has always been a delicate one. Despite the fact that he was only 18 when he first played for Manchester United, the Portuguese star has managed to forge a symbiotic relationship with the Norwegian. In October, Ronaldo rallied United’s squad around new manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and even helped a young player who was fed up with the Norwegian coach.
After Manchester United’s defeat at Watford last weekend, the Portuguese superstar revealed his desire to replace Solskjaer with Spanish striker Luis Enrique. The pair were once teammates at Old Trafford and the former starred in three and a half seasons with the club. Following the season, he retired to focus on coaching the club’s first-team strikers. He went on to be a part-time manager with the Old Trafford Reserves.
The former Juventus manager was impressed with Ronaldo’s ability to play the left-sided position. Even before Ronaldo joined United, the club’s director of football, Dan James, told him that he was seventh on the list. But the Portuguese has not yet decided whether to move on to Juventus. A pre-season preview will provide a clearer picture. If he decides to stay, the manager will be able to keep his promise to the club.
There’s been a lot of speculation about the relationship between the Portuguese and his new team-mates. The former Real Madrid coach believes that a lack of trust between Ronaldo and his new teammates has hampered the team. However, the Portuguese international has become an artist and is attempting to be more of a team player. But whether he is a team player or a winger, the question remains.
It’s not the only player at Manchester United unhappy with the manager. Fellow Portuguese player Bruno Fernandes has said he is not happy with the tactic and direction of Solskjaer. Solskjaer was supposed to stay until the end of the season, but some of his players feel that the Portuguese coach is unfair and unjust. With this in mind, it’s worth considering whether Solskjaer is capable of improving the team’s chances in the coming season.
While the relationship between the two players may not be perfect, the relationship between Solskjaer and Ronaldo has stayed strong. In the last Champions League match, Manchester United were beaten by Young Boys 3-0, and Ronaldo was forced to play centrally and in the technical area, while Jadon Sancho and Mason Greenwood were deployed on the wings. While Solskjaer is a great coach, they do have their issues.
Ronaldo’s bloated squad
The bloated squad that Ronaldo possesses is a disaster in big games, if only because he doesn’t play as well as he should. Despite being a dynamic centre forward, Ronaldo has clear ideas about what he wants to do. During the game against Burnley, Rangnick and his coaching staff debated taking him out of the side. The manager had tried doing so against Everton, and Michael Carrick had performed well. But Rangnick, unable to find a replacement for Ronaldo, opted to start Ronaldo instead, saying that this would be a big issue.
The bloated squad that accompanied Ronaldo’s arrival is a disaster in big games. It’s difficult to imagine how a player of this stature could ever fit into a Pep Guardiola team, and there is little evidence that he did. But that didn’t stop some uninformed critics from writing about him. While Ronaldo does have excellent diving ability, he’s not a good big-game player.
Despite Ronaldo’s return, Manchester United fans will have to make do with a squad of attacking options that is already overstuffed. Jesse Lingard has been linked with a permanent move to West Ham, while Leeds have emerged as the front runners in the race for 23-year-old Welsh winger Daniel James. In addition to Ronaldo, Anthony Martial and Donny van de Beek could find themselves wondering where they’ll start next. It’s important to remember that neither player is linked with a permanent move away from the club.
The bloated squad is a flop when it comes to big games, and he has to be in the best shape to shine. The bloated squad is prone to injuries. In the early stages of the Euro 2020 qualifier, Ronaldo will be a huge liability. In the game against Hungary, his injury could prove to be a game-breaker.
Despite his immense talent, Ronaldo’s bloated squad is not a team that is built for big games. They’ll struggle to score. The bloated squad will struggle against a stacked Germany squad. They’ll likely finish with the same goal difference as the Portuguese team. And it will be far worse in big games. And it’ll be Ronaldo’s failure in big games to make the team look like a disaster.
Despite his bloated squad, Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent form suggests that he isn’t an instant-goal machine. In fact, he has missed six of his last eight away games in La Liga. In fact, he hasn’t played in the Champions League for three weeks. This suggests that he has not been fully fit to play the final in the Champions League.
