If you were to ask me if Cristiano Ronaldo was the worst footballer ever, I’d tell you that he was better than Lionel Messi. He dives more than Neymar, drifts out wide to get touches on the ball, and has gone without a goal in a calendar year since 2003. Then I would explain why. Is he a better footballer?
Cristiano Ronaldo is a better footballer than Lionel Messi
It’s not always easy to judge a player based on their physicality, but the results in the Euro 2020 final suggest that Cristiano Ronaldo is a better footballing prospect than Messi. Both are excellent goalscorers, and Messi has a better shot accuracy. However, the former has far more versatility and is able to create chances from any distance. But while Messi scores more goals, Ronaldo has superior long-range shooting ability. But one of the most important aspects of both players’ game is their ability to take and convert free-kicks, an area where Ronaldo has developed into a myth in recent years. Between 2009 and 2011 alone, Ronaldo scored 21 direct free-kicks to Messi’s three. Between 2017-19, Ronaldo only managed to score five free-kicks while
One major point in favor of Messi is his team-mates. While both players had great teammates, they were not nearly as impressive as Ronaldo’s. The Argentine played with great players like Neymar, Luis Suarez, Xavi Hernandez, and Andres Iniesta, and they were all incredible. However, the added value of Messi came from his teammates. The Portuguese has a team that is unmatched in terms of talent. In addition to being the best footballer of his generation, Ronaldo is the most consistent player in the world.
Both Ronaldo and Messi are equally good when it comes to attacking the ball and defending it. But Messi has a greater understanding of how to read the game and how to make the right decisions on the pitch. Messi is more likely to win the ball when it is lost than Ronaldo. And while Ronaldo does not try to win the ball when he loses it, he presses the opposition to make a bad pass. Messi also commits more fouls than Ronaldo, but he’s more disciplined.
He dives more than Neymar
Neymar is a young Brazilian football star who plays for Paris Saint Germain in the Ligue 1 and for the Brazil national team. He is a diving master and is estimated to dive three to four times per game. While Ronaldo and Messi are both known for their skill on the ball, the Brazilian is widely regarded as the best among the two. But does Neymar dive more often than Ronaldo?
When asked if he dives more than Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar’s opponent was furious. He screamed at the player who was lying on the ground. While he is a great footballer, Neymar does have some character flaws that make him unpopular with many fans. Known for his incessant histrionics, he also takes tumbles too often. However, despite his lack of confidence, the PSG star is still adored by the Parisians and fans.
Suarez’s diving antics have become a controversial issue in football. While he may have played for Liverpool before transferring to Barcelona, his dives were constantly criticised in the English press. In one particular match against Stoke City, he admitted to diving and was shamed by the English media. Former Stoke manager Tony Pulse called the incident an embarrassment. The Brazilian’s diving antics have made him a target for critics, but they do not necessarily mean he’s a better player.
Although the Brazilian football star is regarded as the most entertaining player, his diving antics have long plagued his career. In the early 2000s, Cristiano Ronaldo was the poster boy for a foreign player infecting English football. The Portuguese star continued to dive for a second time after leaving Manchester United and becoming Real Madrid’s star. Neymar also drew criticism from his fans after being sent off from a game against West Ham United.
He drifts out wide to get touches on the ball
Despite his physicality, Cristiano Ronaldo is more prone to drifting out wide to get touches on the ball than a more traditional striker. A ball played in this area can be passed inside to the Juventus superstar, but he is not perceived as a threat by defenders. His dribbling and gliding action are a key feature of his game.
The attack begins with a long ball which is played in the attacking third. It is a low ball, but Ronaldo slaps it into the corner of the goal with a half-volley. As he watches the ball, he realises that his opponent’s eyes are off him and anticipates that the ball will drop out to the edge of the box. Then, he makes a long run behind 11 outfield players to gain space and to start getting touches on the ball.
A similar attack involves a long run forward where Ronaldo begins his run ahead of the opposition’s midfield and drifts out wide to pick up the ball. This creates space for the forward. He uses his spacial awareness to move out wide and manipulate defenders before getting to the ball. Once on the ball, he plays off the shoulder and plays it on a defender’s blindside.
United are in a similar position. United’s plan is to man-mark the wide players and a number of players have to follow the two midfielders. While the players in the midfield were tasked with man-marking the midfielders, the attacking players have to cover for the midfielders. This makes the 4-3-3 a disjointed one.
He has gone without scoring in a calendar year since 2003
The Portuguese star went five games without a goal in the first half of 2022, the longest barren spell of his career. This barren streak began after a 22nd minute penalty against Athletic Club. Ronaldo scored his first goal of the year in his seventh appearance. He then went five games without a goal in the next three seasons. He eventually scored his first goal of 2022 in his seventh appearance.
The Portuguese ace went 546 minutes without a goal for his club between May and September of 2010. That was the longest goal drought for a single player in any calendar year since 2003. After the Portuguese ace moved to Real Madrid in September 2010, his tally of goals jumped to 60 in 55 appearances. It’s easy to forget that he had a mini dry spell in 2010 when he last failed to score for Manchester United.
The Portuguese striker has played in nine UEFA tournaments and won the Ballon d’Or in 2009, the only player to do so. Cristiano Ronaldo’s greatest personal success came with Real Madrid, where he won the Ballon d’Or. He also broke the La Liga scoring record during the 2010-11 season, but it didn’t last more than a season.
The Portuguese striker broke his streak against Espanyol in LaLiga on Sept. 21 with a penalty kick. The referee had ordered the penalty kick to be retaken and his streak was broken. Ronaldo finished the 2010-11 season with 53 goals for Los Blancos in 54 matches in all competitions. He has won 15 trophies with Real Madrid in his career, including four Champions Leagues, LaLiga twice, and the Ballon d’Or four times. Cristiano Ronaldo has also re-joined Manchester United in the past, where he won the Premier League title in 2003.
He wants to leave Manchester United
There are reports that Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Manchester United in the summer. Although United do not see him as a sale target, the Portuguese star is not content with his current status at the club. His departure would damage the club’s prestige, but would also address some of the problems faced by new manager Erik ten Hag. The Portugal international has clashed with captain Harry Maguire and has refused to play in the pressing game, but it’s not clear if he is happy at United.
The news that Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Manchester United is certainly surprising for many. While he was top scorer last season, United’s lack of competition has frustrated him. He feels there is not enough competition for the Champions League and he wants to win more trophies in his later years. Also, United have lost 13 players since Cristiano Ronaldo joined the club and have failed to sign anyone since then.
Despite Ronaldo’s desire to leave Manchester United, the club is trying to get a replacement for him. Despite the interest, United have failed to make a signing this summer. They have been in the hunt for Frenkie de Jong and have expressed an interest in Lisandro Martinez. Nevertheless, United have not been able to sign any new players before the squad returns for training. If Ronaldo is keen to leave the club, they should be willing to let him go.
After 19 Champions League seasons, Cristiano Ronaldo has decided to quit Manchester United. The club has ended the season in sixth place, and the Portuguese forward would be playing in the Europa League. Despite the soaring expectations, the club is not prepared to be content with a mediocre Europa League finish. This season, United will be playing in the Europa League. It hasn’t been an easy decision for the Portuguese star to make.
