Cristiano Ronaldo: Simply the greatest of all-time?

by Intern June 16, 2018

Hours before the kick-off, reports emerged Spanish Tax Authority had found him guilty of tax defrauding. Hours later, he made that Spain his prey. Cristiano Ronaldo, his name.

Players who have made it big with biggest European clubs were on the one side of this Iberian Derby. And on the opposite side, there were 22 players and then, Cristiano Ronaldo, a man who has made an ordinary team extraordinary.

When the referee Gianluca Rocchi blew the whistle, indicating the start of that much-fierce Iberian War, the World sat on their seats to enjoy the most-anticipated group stage match of this FIFA World Cup.

But, it didn’t take too long for the global audience to understand it was Cristiano Ronaldo vs Mighty Spain.

On that humid night in Sochi, Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portugal left everyone bewildering the very 4th minute of the game. Nacho had tackled Cristiano. The referee had blown his whistle to the spot-kick and the Penaldo, as the haters call, stepped up, rocketed it past De Gea, gave Portugal a solitary goal, put them on the front foot.

A goal conceded and with the catastrophic consequences in mind, Spain started doing their daily routine. They made Portugal look enervated. They played like Vintage Spain, passed the ball everywhere, made producing through balls look that easy.

Diego Costa had equalized, it was all but Spain in that game. But, how? How would they conquer the Portuguese battleship when Cristiano Ronaldo was on the other side? How would they want Portugal to give up when the insatiable Ronaldo was with them?

Cristiano Ronaldo did something, he had never done in recent time, dropped himself into the midfield, launched counter-attacks that made the Spanish defence, which consisted of fellow Real Madrid teammate Sergio Ramos and Barcelona’s Gerrard Pique, flounder.

He reaped the benefit, though with the help of a blunder from De Gea, arguably the best goalkeeper available now, and bagged a goal, put Portugal upfront once again. Was that what God had in his hand to tease Real Madrid’s president Florentino Perez, who wanted to swap Ronaldo for De Gea? It seems like.

At the break, Spain had done everything, but inadequate to dismantle Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal. Huge pressure upon their back. With a defeat to Portugal questioning Luis Rubiales decision to sack Julen Lopetegui, the security of Fernando Hierro’s job.

And, Spain put on a performance that had completely outclassed Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. looked hapless, they ran relentless, like vagabonds.

Diego Costa, once again, equalized and Nacho scored a thunderous volley to give Spain the much-needed lead. The Portugal battlewagon looked despondent.

But, how? Portugal are the European Champions, they have the mighty conquerer in Cristiano Ronaldo. He has time and again subdued the World of football with his sheer ability and hard work. He has time and again left us bewildering!

And on that humid night in Sochi, Russia, Cristiano showed it again. He had not scored a single free kick in his World Cup career until then. It had been a long since Cristiano Ronaldo found the target impeccably from a freekick. But, boy, that night was for him, for the man whose dreams never end. Cristiano Ronaldo triggered the ball past the long wall, swirled it, and made De Gea look as he was flatfooted.

The “Messi or Cristiano” debate may continue in the years to come, but Cristiano Ronaldo has already done innumerable things that his Argentina counterpart has not.

While Messi is also phenomenal, Cristiano Ronaldo ability to hog the limelight on the biggest stages of world football, be it a Champions League final or FIFA World Cup match, is quite astonishing. And moreover, he has had heard more criticisms than any other player in the world. His sheer to talent to put them to bed and emerge victorious, just like the Phoenix Rising From The Ashes is nothing than dumfounding.

Even Cristiano Ronaldo couldn’t win the FIFA World Cup, a trophy that eluded him time and again, he will go down in history as one of the best footballers to have ever graced the pitch.