Cristiano Ronaldo - performances 2017/18

HorrorFan07 said:
Needs to be drug tested as that performance was Maradona-Esque dragging Portugal to the brink. How does he get the energy after such a long, hard season at 34 years of age!? watch every other top player flop and blame it on tiredness
This is HIS World Cup... forget Messi who will go Missing in Action again.
The Ballon d'Or awaits. Even if Portugal don't make it out of their group, that hattrick will be one of the defining moments of the World Cup. Kind of like his hat-trick against Sweden to help Portugal qualify which virtually won him the gong.
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No hat-trick against Sweden won him an award bud.

It's amazing to get a world cup hat-trick, but there is some overreaction too, he and I guess to a hugely lesser extent Portugal have to crack on from this, a second round exit would mean it ended up being a bit meaningless however you'd want to swing it. Especially with a potentially weak ass route to the semi's.

I wouldn't expect Messi to go out and try and outdo it either tomorrow, no real need too.

Truly do hope we get Portugal-Argentina in the quarters though. That'll be fun. Requires one of them to be runners up though.
 
HorrorFan07 said:
Needs to be drug tested as that performance was Maradona-Esque dragging Portugal to the brink. How does he get the energy after such a long, hard season at 34 years of age!? watch every other top player flop and blame it on tiredness !

This is HIS World Cup... forget Messi who will go Missing in Action again.

The Ballon d'Or awaits. Even if Portugal don't make it out of their group, that hattrick will be one of the defining moments of the World Cup. Kind of like his hat-trick against Sweden to help Portugal qualify which virtually won him the gong.
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Hes not 34
 
What I loved about C Ronaldo last night was how efficient he was in his own energy - the amount of time Guedes had the time & space to pass the ball to Ronaldo - Ronaldo would run super fast but would not even bother when he knew Guedes merely took too long & it was too late.

He knows when to run, he knows when to walk, he knows when to skill, when to shoot, when to invited a defenders leg. The guy is just pure efficiency.
 
He looked really sloppy and past it in the CL final so I was worried about him going into the World Cup.

It showed in the run in at the end of the season that when he was missing league games he wasn't quite sharp in the CL semis or final and he's missed the friendlies aside from the latest one for Portugal so it wasn't looking promising and then BOOM.

Might just have been because it's Spain and he's got an axe to grind with them or because it's probably but not definitely his last World Cup but he was sharp as a tack. His first touch was spot on, passing was great and he looked quick too which helped during the counterattacks that Portugal did.

Brilliant performance and he's got balls of steel for the penalty and the free kick.
 
He is just unreal. . That moment before the freekick, shorts up, blows just knows that all eyes are on him and he just loves it. He knew that he would score . On his day he is unplayable.
 
Just an absolute pure finisher. Anytime he's within 40 yards of the goal you feel like he's just going to ping it into the top corner. Unreal.
 
arthurka said:
He is just unreal. . That moment before the freekick, shorts up, blows just knows that all eyes are on him and he just loves it. He knew that he would score . On his day he is unplayable.
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This is exactly it. The game is his stage and he is the best performer I have ever ever seen.
 
Watch what he does as soon as he wins the free kick. As soon as he gets that free kick just look at how he goes into “alright it’s time” mode. Incredible. Incredible. The belief this guy has in himself and that he can achieve so much. Monster of a player. How lucky am I to have witnessed his career from start to finish.

How lucky are we to have been able to call him our own. He is the true player embodiment of Sir Alex Ferguson’s coaching school.
 
Excellent first half today, and I don’t think he really had a bad second half I think Spain just completely dominated the game. No player in the world would have had a great game v Spain for periods of that second half, they were phenomenal.
 
broccoli said:
For me El Pibe is the best player I've ever seen play football. But the Ronaldo performance today was more stellar than anything I've seen. Instant classic.

And I have to give my congratulations to Spain. They play some really beautiful football.
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Yeah, Valderrama was really good.



I really enjoy and admire how Ronaldo know exactlys when to appear, he's effective as a machine. Be it during the game, or the season when he decides to show himself in the final moments. Today I enjoyed him as much as I'd do with Messi or any player I like.

With the years I earned great respect for him. I can say he's for sure among the best 5 players of all time hands down.
 
There used to be a time when I could understand people not putting him in a top 10 of all time list. Now, it’s undeniable he’s top 5 at worst.
 
Arbitrium said:
There used to be a time when I could understand people not putting him in a top 10 of all time list. Now, it’s undeniable he’s top 5 at worst.
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I think he's top 2, I think Ron and Messi are the 2 greatest players of all time and it's not even a debate anymore.
 
shamans said:
Watch what he does as soon as he wins the free kick. As soon as he gets that free kick just look at how he goes into “alright it’s time” mode. Incredible. Incredible. The belief this guy has in himself and that he can achieve so much. Monster of a player. How lucky am I to have witnessed his career from start to finish.

How lucky are we to have been able to call him our own. He is the true player embodiment of Sir Alex Ferguson’s coaching school.
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The player embodiment of Sir Alex Ferguson himself arguably.

He just gets it done.
 
shamans said:
Watch what he does as soon as he wins the free kick. As soon as he gets that free kick just look at how he goes into “alright it’s time” mode. Incredible. Incredible. The belief this guy has in himself and that he can achieve so much. Monster of a player. How lucky am I to have witnessed his career from start to finish.

How lucky are we to have been able to call him our own. He is the true player embodiment of Sir Alex Ferguson’s coaching school.
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Agree with those mostly.

Not to try ruining the moment, the free-kick taking is awesome of course. CR's concentration and just get the job done moment are straight from SAF's school.
But isn't SAF's coaching more on to once you equalize (especially if it's late min), pick the ball up and quickly bring it to the center, continue the game quickly and try to next score a winning goal? No long/big celebration?
 
People's opinions on Ronaldo seem to shift with the wind. If he has a few quiet performances, then he's suddenly on the decline and do not want. When he's hitting bicycle kicks in the CL and knocking in last minute free kicks at the WC then suddenly he's the goat again.
 
Rifer said:
Agree with those mostly.

Not to try ruining the moment, the free-kick taking is awesome of course. CR's concentration and just get the job done moment are straight from SAF's school.
But isn't SAF's coaching more on to once you equalize (especially if it's late min), pick the ball up and quickly bring it to the center, continue the game quickly and try to next score a winning goal? No long/big celebration?
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Dunno just felt more like the never give up/never die attitude
 
Raoul said:
People's opinions on Ronaldo seem to shift with the wind. If he has a few quiet performances, then he's suddenly on the decline and do not want. When he's hitting bicycle kicks in the CL and knocking in last minute free kicks at the WC then suddenly he's the goat again.
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Nothing wrong with that. These type of moments are magical. They are the type of moments that change opinions
 
Raoul said:
People's opinions on Ronaldo seem to shift with the wind. If he has a few quiet performances, then he's suddenly on the decline and do not want. When he's hitting bicycle kicks in the CL and knocking in last minute free kicks at the WC then suddenly he's the goat again.
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It’s those with knee-jerk criticisms that are at fault, not the reverse. The man has a career of pure magic, he has nothing to prove to anyone anymore; his status as an all time great is assured. Individual moments like this deserve recognition, due to the sheer quantity of similar wondrous moments, so it’s hardly exaggeration to praise him with all sorts of superlatives after this sort of game. The people criticising his style of play once he’s into his 30s don’t deserve attention, conversely.

Not sure if that’s what you were even implying, just throwing my two cents in.
 
jungledrums said:
It’s those with knee-jerk criticisms that are at fault, not the reverse. The man has a career of pure magic, he has nothing to prove to anyone anymore; his status as an all time great is assured. Individual moments like this deserve recognition, due to the sheer quantity of similar wondrous moments, so it’s hardly exaggeration to praise him with all sorts of superlatives after this sort of game. The people criticising his style of play once he’s into his 30s don’t deserve attention, conversely.

Not sure if that’s what you were even implying, just throwing my two cents in.
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I agree, which is why its baffling why some wouldn't want him back. Even if it was for a year or two...the magic would be incredible.
 
The all time highest champions league scorer, second highest international scorer of all time, 5 champions leagues, the consistency to be among the worlds best for over a decade.

Even those who dislike him need to just sit back and enjoy it while he's playing. We might not see he and messis likes for a long time
 
Aloysius's Back 3 said:
What I loved about C Ronaldo last night was how efficient he was in his own energy - the amount of time Guedes had the time & space to pass the ball to Ronaldo - Ronaldo would run super fast but would not even bother when he knew Guedes merely took too long & it was too late.

He knows when to run, he knows when to walk, he knows when to skill, when to shoot, when to invited a defenders leg. The guy is just pure efficiency.
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Yes, unbelievable efficiency.

Raoul said:
I agree, which is why its baffling why some wouldn't want him back. Even if it was for a year or two...the magic would be incredible.
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I'd give anything to have him back. Like you said, he'd bring back the magic. Something the club has been crying out for a while now.
 
Raoul said:
I agree, which is why its baffling why some wouldn't want him back. Even if it was for a year or two...the magic would be incredible.
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I think it's largely about the fee we'd have to pay - where a lot have felt that paying 200+Mn for him - for a year or two, however magical - is a bit too much. Don't feel we should go into that today though. Frankly, for a lower fee, I'd take him back in a heartbeat. Feel he has another 3 years at the top given his shape. All that said, I find it funny that people would rather have Bale - who basically needs to be benched in order to stay fit!
 
I thought he was past it after his anonimous showings in the semi final and final of the UCL.

One can argue that he had two set piece goals and one of a keeping error, but his general play was fantastic as well (especially in the first half). That was something you did not see from him late on in the season.

Great performance even excluding the goals.
 
hasanejaz88 said:
I thought he was past it after his anonimous showings in the semi final and final of the UCL.

One can argue that he had two set piece goals and one of a keeping error, but his general play was fantastic as well (especially in the first half). That was something you did not see from him late on in the season.

Great performance even excluding the goals.
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How can you reach such a conclusion when the few months before that he has been completely on fire? He finished the season on 44 goals in 44 games!
 
Classical Mechanic said:
How can you reach such a conclusion when the few months before that he has been completely on fire? He finished the season on 44 goals in 44 games!
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He certainly had a great season but the way he played in those important matches towards the end gave me a feeling that his decline has started. The juve second leg, bayern both legs and final his influence was very limited.
 
Eddy_JukeZ said:
The player embodiment of Sir Alex Ferguson himself arguably.

He just gets it done.
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I think SAF sees himself in him as a player. Probably not the greatest gifted but will always make sure to come out as the best anyhow.

No wonder the great man loves him as his son.
 
hasanejaz88 said:
I thought he was past it after his anonimous showings in the semi final and final of the UCL.

One can argue that he had two set piece goals and one of a keeping error, but his general play was fantastic as well (especially in the first half). That was something you did not see from him late on in the season.

Great performance even excluding the goals.
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He even won both fouls for both set piece goals.
 
He’s burned himself into this generations retina like Pele and Maradona have in the previous ones. He’ll be talked about for the next 100 years. Glad to be alive right now
 
Did anyone else in Portugal have a shot in the whole game apart from this guy?

Definition of one man team.
 
hasanejaz88 said:
He certainly had a great season but the way he played in those important matches towards the end gave me a feeling that his decline has started. The juve second leg, bayern both legs and final his influence was very limited.
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Wasn't he coming back from an injury? He truly is a beast!
 
Raoul said:
People's opinions on Ronaldo seem to shift with the wind. If he has a few quiet performances, then he's suddenly on the decline and do not want. When he's hitting bicycle kicks in the CL and knocking in last minute free kicks at the WC then suddenly he's the goat again.
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Both can mutually be true at the same time. He pushed the bar too high, even as he's on the decline (hitting form starts slower past season, and consistency is more disrupted), he is still about the best level around, and still doing thing the upcoming stars who is supposed to have their peak ahead, have to be jealous of.

Of course there are people who choose to believe in extremity of decline narrative, as if a player who reached such height while being surpreme professional & self disciplined would turn to pub level over night
 
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Having slept on that performance, I'm just going to take time out to say - holy fecking shit! Again.
 
matherto said:
He looked really sloppy and past it in the CL final so I was worried about him going into the World Cup.

It showed in the run in at the end of the season that when he was missing league games he wasn't quite sharp in the CL semis or final and he's missed the friendlies aside from the latest one for Portugal so it wasn't looking promising and then BOOM.

Might just have been because it's Spain and he's got an axe to grind with them or because it's probably but not definitely his last World Cup but he was sharp as a tack. His first touch was spot on, passing was great and he looked quick too which helped during the counterattacks that Portugal did.

Brilliant performance and he's got balls of steel for the penalty and the free kick.
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This was also my expectation pre game. Simply wow on how he switched gears. Incredible player.
 
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