The end in sight for Cristiano Ronaldo?

He needs to drop deeper and reinvent himself, become a Pirlo type player who dictates the play, rather than someone who relies on pace, which is a large part of what his game has been about.

I always think that when players get to that age, especially very good players, they have so much experience at reading the game that they should realise their attacking days are over and drop deeper and help the younger players who do have pace to run at defences with assists and passes.

Problem is, can Ronaldo let go of his ego and become less of a goalscorer and more of a goal creator?
Surely not? He never even had that in him in his prime so there’s no way he’s finding the ability to sit back and create at 38.
 
Surely not? He never even had that in him in his prime so there’s no way he’s finding the ability to sit back and create at 38.
That's my point though, he needs to adapt if he wants to keep playing successfully, and as I said, good (great?) players tend to have the ability to do that later in their careers, I suspect only his ego is stopping him, as he always wants to score goals rather than be a creator.
 
That's my point though, he needs to adapt if he wants to keep playing successfully, and as I said, good (great?) players tend to have the ability to do that later in their careers, I suspect only his ego is stopping him, as he always wants to score goals rather than be a creator.
You need the inherent ability to read the game from further back and play like that though, he’s never had it, that’s what’s stopping him. It’s not something a player can just learn at an advanced age, I think if it was you’d see players switch in their latter years frequently.
 
He needs to go to a smaller team and somewhere the other players will do the running and tracking back.

If you give him space and time he’ll still bury most chances, he needs to play as a poacher or a target man these days but football has moved on from those days.

He’ll play for a few more years yet but will have to lower his expectation.
 
He's nowhere near finished yet. Another couple of years in him at a good level at least.
I agree he can go on a bit, but only if he’s willing to accept not being the top man. Messi is arguably the third talent now in his side and is playing out of his skin.
 
Zlatan was still turning it on in Serie A at 40 though. Ronaldo’s not playing near that level now and managers around Europe won’t touch him because of his ego and fears of his impact on squad morale. United aren’t exactly a great outfit just now and he’s not getting many minutes there.

Ronaldo was the EPL's third top scorer with 18 goals in a dreadful Man Utd team.

Zlatan was the 36th top scorer in Serie A with 8 goals.

You honestly think Zlatan is performing at a higher level?

Ronaldo could walk Serie A at one of the Milan teams. Remember he scored 29 goals in 33 games in his last Serie A season for Juve.
 
No big club wants him though? He wanted Champions League football and his agent was obviously tasked with finding him a club who could offer him that, PSG, Napoli, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid all allegedly offered the chance to sign him.
He prices himself out of most options. If he was willing to play for 50k a week he'd have his pick of clubs in Europe.
 
Ronaldo was the EPL's third top scorer with 18 goals in a dreadful Man Utd team.

Zlatan was the 36th top scorer in Serie A with 8 goals.

You honestly think Zlatan is performing at a higher level?

Ronaldo could walk Serie A at one of the Milan teams. Remember he scored 29 goals in 33 games in his last Serie A season for Juve.
He’s got more to his game though. He’s not a man down if he’s not scoring and that was him at 40 years old. 2 years older than where Ronaldo is now as he sits on the bench every week. Given he’s currently a bench warmer and there were no takers for him in the summer as he tried his best to engineer a move away, do you really see him playing any kind of significant role at a title winning side in one of the big leagues in 2 years time?

Btw just for context since I hate stats without context, that’s a dreadful United side that finished 2nd before he rocked up and is already looking better without him in it. Respectable tally no doubt (even if part of their downfall was setting up to service him), included a glut of goals and a couple of hat tricks at the end once they were out of the race for everything, that season also included a huge barren streak from November till about March when they actually desperately needed goals and were still in with a shout of a top 4 finish. I’m sure his final tally in Italy included a whopping 10 penalties too. There’s probably a reason Juve and their fans were quite happy to see him leave. It’s not all coincidence.

And if he could piss it at a top Italian club or top clubs anywhere in Europe then why aren’t they trying hard to get him now? He’s been hawked all over Europe by his agent with 0 takers and is currently getting torn to pieces by the media in his home country.
 
It catches up with everyone.

No matter how many squats you do, no matter how much water you drink and how many vitamins you gub, the human body slows down dramatically as you hit 40 and the decline continues at differing rates until you pass away. It’s nature and it cannot be changed.

You never heard of Liz Hurley.
 
He's been finished for about 18 months now.

Had a good start with Man United on paper but clearly isn't and was never a lone striker, he's also finished which doesn't help.

He'd probably be the best squad player on the planet for a couple of seasons if his ego allowed it.
A player who just came off a 24 goal season in a shite Man United team is not finished.

What a terrible take on things.
 
I see the Portugal fans have been criticising him and saying he needs to be dropped. His sister has come out and defended him. A bit harsh considering!
 
He’ll go down as the second greatest player ever

You can be a CR7 fanboy all u want but he has/is/and always will be second to messi. Which is undoubtedly a big part of the reason he continues, he absolutely does not want to bow out while messi is still tearing it up.
 
That's my point though, he needs to adapt if he wants to keep playing successfully, and as I said, good (great?) players tend to have the ability to do that later in their careers, I suspect only his ego is stopping him, as he always wants to score goals rather than be a creator.
You’re right. The greatest players always adapted their game… can he??
 
Ronaldo has changed his game as a player as well. He would suit the way Man City play where there are so many chances made. He used to be played as a winger that would be running at people, now he is a right place at the right time through knowledge and finishing ability player.

The sporting Lisbon manager also said he would walk if they signed Ronaldo as well. Can see him playing the World Cup then calling it a day unless the US league offers him something mental, which he would rightly deserve to take advantage of now. No doubt one of the best to ever do it
 
It catches up with everyone.

No matter how many squats you do, no matter how much water you drink and how many vitamins you gub, the human body slows down dramatically as you hit 40 and the decline continues at differing rates until you pass away. It’s nature and it cannot be changed.
Great starting the day with a positive post. That has cheered me up no end. :))
 
Would imagine he would never consider coaching, as that would be as frustrating as hell trying to teach/help guys with a sliver of your own talent.
 
He's got a couple of seasons left as a centre forward I reckon.

It doesn't matter whether he is exempt from pressing / defensive work he can't play wide any longer.
 
He needs to drop deeper and reinvent himself, become a Pirlo type player who dictates the play, rather than someone who relies on pace, which is a large part of what his game has been about.

I always think that when players get to that age, especially very good players, they have so much experience at reading the game that they should realise their attacking days are over and drop deeper and help the younger players who do have pace to run at defences with assists and passes.

Problem is, can Ronaldo let go of his ego and become less of a goalscorer and more of a goal creator?

I don't think that comes down to ego tbh, it comes down to ability (or lack of).

Messi basically dropped deeper in the last few years and became the best playmaker in the world. His vision and eye for a pass is second to none.

Ronaldo just isn't that sort of player.
 
Ronaldo has changed his game as a player as well. He would suit the way Man City play where there are so many chances made. He used to be played as a winger that would be running at people, now he is a right place at the right time through knowledge and finishing ability player.

The sporting Lisbon manager also said he would walk if they signed Ronaldo as well. Can see him playing the World Cup then calling it a day unless the US league offers him something mental, which he would rightly deserve to take advantage of now. No doubt one of the best to ever do it

Didn't know that. Crazy if true tbh.
 
Has this thread only appeared because that waster Cassano said that Ronaldo is finished?
F.uck me!
 
Has this thread only appeared because that waster Cassano said that Ronaldo is finished?
F.uck me!

It's because he had yet another stinker of a performance and the Portuguese fans/media have started to turn on him saying he shouldn't be playing at the World Cup.
 
It catches up with everyone.

No matter how many squats you do, no matter how much water you drink and how many vitamins you gub, the human body slows down dramatically as you hit 40 and the decline continues at differing rates until you pass away. It’s nature and it cannot be changed.
Happy Thursday ffs :))
 
Happy Thursday ffs :))
It’s sadly absolutely true mate.

To give one example Measure a man’s testosterone aged 19 and measure it at aged 40 and then again at 50. The drop off is astronomical.

People don’t like to admit it but it’s there in black and white. Testosterone is what drives us both good and sometimes bad. If you’re in your 40s or 50s and realise you’ve “ calmed down/got wise” to getting into fights or cannot be bothered with certain things that’s the reason right there.

We can pretend 60 is the new 40, we can get our dentists these days to put shiny white teeth in, you can even inject testosterone and sew hair onto your head.

You won’t beat nature.
 
Guys nearly 38 years old. What he did for Real Madrid consistently for all those years was unbelievable.
 
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