Cristiano Ronaldo: Legend

[Kiko_97]

I agree with everything Craig says there

 

[Will_NA]

Ronaldo's had a magnificent last 2 seasons but to call him better than (Players I've actually seen) Bergkamp, Henry, Zidane, Zola, formerly skinny Ronaldo, etc.

If he carrries this on for 5 years, maybe he is contention but 2 seasons? Come on!

 

[covlad-99]

Will NA, I don't think your comment is too reliable. You have included strikers in that, that were nowhere near as prolific at scoring as Ronaldo, who comes in off the wing! And you are forgetting about the attributes too, Bergkamp was a great finisher and Henry was too, but Cristiano Ronaldo is just as quick as Henry and Ronaldo's finishing definately comes close to Bergkamp's but Henry is very poor in the air and Bergkamp is't brilliant. There is nothing that any of those players are better than Ronaldo at except maybe Zidane's passing. Thats it. Ronaldo is head and shoulders above all of those players.
And 2 seasons? He has been in my opinion the best player in the world for 2 seasons yes, but the season before he was still starting for man Utd and scoring goals, for example a double at Highbury...

 

[Will_NA]

They are attacking players like Ronaldo. He's been the best in the world undoubtedly for the last year but he is still in he early stages of his career.

I'm not sure anyone's finishing comes close to Bergkamp's. He may be as quick as Henry but he doesn't have all the attributes these players have.

He's fast and skillful with a good finish but that's not enough to make him the best ever.

 

[covlad-99]

All I'm saying is, all round, he is better than all of those players. If you put Bergkamp up front, he would be less effective than Ronaldo up front, and the same goes with most (if not all) of the players you mentioned. And Henry only started to be world class at the age of about 24+, and Bergkamp about the same. Ronaldo is 23 and was world class at the age of 21 and already looks better than them, he has more goals in him, as I think if you played him up top, he'd get 40+ a season and no matter how good Bergkamp's finishing was, he was never a 40+ a season player, Henry was for a couple of seasons, but i still think Ronaldo will be this good next season, and will only get better.

 

[Will_NA]

You can't compare someone's potential with players who have already peaked. Ronaldo does not have the attributes of these players. He's not as good a finisher as Henry nor as quick. He is a completely different player to Bergkamp who would be much more aptly compared to Rooney.

Ronaldo makes a lot of his goals and is involved in the link up play preceeding them. DO you really think he'd be as involved if he moved up front. No, and he probably wouldn't score as many. He is brilliant down the wing and a move up front would only hamper his play.

He is only 23. Exactly! He hasn't peaked and isn't even close to it and he isn't close to the standards of the aforementioned players, nor the players of the past.

 

[covlad-99]

Thats right, he hasn't peaked, and he is already better than Bergkamp at his peak. When was the last time Bergkamp had a goals per game ratio of about 1. Never, and Ronaldo plays in a far less attacking postion than the likes of Henry, Bergkamp, Zola... and yet scores more goals, and a strikers job is to score goals, not a wingers. A wingers job is to zip up and down and create the chances, and Ronaldo does both. Henry and co were good at certain things, but they weren't the full package which Ronaldo is.

 

[Will_NA]

This is why I don't agree with you. 'Better than Bergkamp at his peak'? Are you serious.

Again, Bergkamp was never fast, he was never an outright striker. Neither is Rooney which is why they are more comparable. Ronaldo's passing and finishing come nowhere near Bergkamp's. If Ronaldo wasn't so quick, he would be have the player which I know is a bit silly to say but it shows that he relies on pac and dribbling past playrs while Bergkamp had no pace but was so good he could pick out a pass from any position.

Ronaldo at the moment is nowhere near as good as Bergkamp.

 

[PhilD123]

Ronaldo does not have the attributes of these players. He's not as good a finisher as Henry

I disagree with you here, Henry wasn't great in the air and while he scored a lot of goals, he missed a few chances. In fact at the time, it was between Ruud and Henry and although Ruud was the better finisher, Henry was the better player for his assists etc. Ronaldo's got 38 goals already this season, I'd say his finishing is pretty good.

Come on Will, Ronaldo at the moment is a better player than Bergkamp was. He's just unstoppable, scores goals from everywhere, runs at players, headers. Don't get me wrong when I say that, Bergkamp was quality.

To contradict myself slightly, I'm actually not too keen on the comparisions either. They are their own players, they have different qualities and Ronaldo plays in a different position to Henry and Bergkamp so I dont think its fair on any of them.

EDIT: Sorry about not replying to your PM, Will. I've only just seen it.

 

[Deleted member 9102]

Edit: Chris Gayle

 

[evertonfan]

He could break both legs and his spine in a horror injury next week and his career will be ended at 23. He won't be a legend then; just a great young player who did't fulfill his potential due to unforseen consequences.

Bit of an extreme example, but that's why it's too early to call him a legend. Now the Nevilles; they are legends.

 

[Will_NA]

I disagree with you here, Henry wasn't great in the air and while he scored a lot of goals, he missed a few chances. In fact at the time, it was between Ruud and Henry and although Ruud was the better finisher, Henry was the better player for his assists etc. Ronaldo's got 38 goals already this season, I'd say his finishing is pretty good.

I don't think there is a better finisher in the game than Van Nistelrooy.

Bergkamp made more of an impact in big games which I'm sure Ronaldo will but Bergkamp could pick a pass out of nothing whereas I feel Ronaldo needs to already be playing well.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

I don't think so! Ronaldhino, to me, was/is one of the most overrated footballers in the world.

Agreed, I never really rated Ronaldinho that much to be honest. As for Ronaldo, it's frightening as to how good he can actually become (frightening for everyone else if we can keep hold of him, that is). Apparently, we've offered him ?150,000 a week to ward off Real Madrid! Tbh, why would he want to go there anyway? They're a shambles at the moment!

 

[Leicester Fox]

I'd say right now Ronaldo is better than Bergkamp at his best, at the end of the day as attacking players it just comes down to end product and Ronnys producing it with amazing consistency. He hasn't done it consistently for 4 or 5 seasons though so can't say he's better yet, even Kevin Phillips had a good season

 

[PhilD123]

He could break both legs and his spine in a horror injury next week and his career will be ended at 23. He won't be a legend then; just a great young player who did't fulfill his potential due to unforseen consequences.

Bit of an extreme example, but that's why it's too early to call him a legend. Now the Nevilles; they are legends.

Yeah, again the term legend shouldn't be used yet, its overused a lot in football and should only be used really after someone's career is finished.

I dont agree with this big game myth. He's done what Will said Bergkamp did really, I mean he's scored home and away against Arsenal, home against Lyon, at home against Liverpool, away against Roma, home against Roma last season, city away last season in a massive (excuse the city pun Joe) game.

Yeah I think Joe's right, the current Ronaldo is playing better than Bergkamp did, but you'd say Bergkamp is a better player when looking throughout his career.