How good is Cristiano Ronaldo?

[soggy biscuit]

UEFA president and former French footballing legend Michel Platini has issued a challenge to Cristiano Ronaldo, saying the phenomenal winger must produce his unstoppable form on the grand stage of this summer's European Championships to be a truly great player...

Cristiano Ronaldo has annihilated all in his path for over a year now, with his best form coming in October 2007 up until the present day, and it doesn't look like letting up.

The Portuguese has netted 27 goals in as many games in all competitions so far this season, the last of them arguably being the best: a devastating 25-yard free kick against Portsmouth.

The one criticism levelled at Ronaldo since his rise to prominence in 2006 has been his continued failure to produce in the big games.

True, any player will struggle against better opposition, but there is a trend even his most staunch supporters would have to recognise, that the 22-year-old has a tendency to under-perform in the big games.

"If Ronaldo is the best player in the world or Europe he will have to prove it in the Euros because that will be the only way we can judge him, when all the best players will have had the chance to be recognised," he declared.

"It's difficult to compare players in competitions and teams. Is it more difficult to play right wing in Manchester than it is in Italy, where it doesn't exist?

"Ronaldo has a number of advantages to his game and, of course, the last matches in the finals of the European Championship this summer will be decisive."

[Row Z Royal]

I'm going to go out on a limb with this one and say "very".

[Tredder]

I was going to be controversial and say 'quite', the bloke is an absolute genius and i always look forward to watching him, not too many players you can say that about in the premiership, other than Hunt.

[cmonurz]

Well I am never one to under-cook the chicken, so to speak – Ronaldo is currently the best player in the world, and potentially, the next ‘great’ player. He could be the Maradona, or Eusebio, or Pele of his generation. I was discussing this with a United fan yesterday; how exactly does Ronaldo get ‘better’ from here? He is a simply phenomenal player, certainly the best I have ever seen play (Maradona was ageing as I grew up).

He is becoming the Tiger Woods of football – he can use both feet, can dribble with the ball, take players on, is a brilliant, accurate passer of the ball, he is quick, excellent in the air. Christ knows what he will go on to do, and scary that he is still on 22 years old.

[soggy biscuit]

IMO right now he is the best player in the world.

I saw some stats recently that showed his goalscoring in the big games (think it was knockout stages of CL, WC & Euro's) and yes it was very poor though the boy is only 22!

[BR2]

I was going to be controversial and say 'quite', the bloke is an absolute genius and i always look forward to watching him, not too many players you can say that about in the premiership, other than Hunt.

Platini makes a very good point that to qualify for "great" you probably have to perform in one or more of the big competitions,that's why Platini himself,Pele and Maradona are greats.
At the moment Ronaldo is in the Cantona category-done it here but not nationally nor in the Champions League.
Cantona never went on internationally but Ronaldo has all the time in the world to do so and he probably will.

[Baines]

Well I am never one to under-cook the chicken, so to speak – Ronaldo is currently the best player in the world, and potentially, the next ‘great’ player.

Agreed.

how exactly does Ronaldo get ‘better’ from here? He is a simply phenomenal player, certainly the best I have ever seen play (Maradona was ageing as I grew up).

By producing match-winning performances in Champs League semi finals and final and/or World Cup and Euro semis and finals, as Maradona did.

[Wax Jacket]

KAKA PISSED ALL OVER HIM IN THE CL SEMI LAST YEAR

Ronaldo can only turn it on against small clubs, goes missing in the big matches.

[Ginger Ninjas]

KAKA PISSED ALL OVER HIM IN THE CL SEMI LAST YEAR

Ronaldo can only turn it on against small clubs, goes missing in the big matches.

It's a common criticism, and there's some justification, but he was Portugal's best player at the world cup, and he's been improving his all round game considerably in the 18 months since that competition.

I'd say he's comfortably the best player in the world based on the last 12 months - Kaka has been very average this season, whilst Messi has been mainly injured. He also has the mark of a great in that he doesn't necessarily need to play that well in order to influence matches, the Reading game being a prime example. Quite scary to think how good he will be by the time he's 26 or 27.

[who are ya?]

He is the dogs dangly parts. No question about it, I've been pretty unfashionable in supporting him from the day he signed for United (even through the episode with Rooney and England) saying he will become the best player in the world.
I'm not one for blowing my own trumpet BUT, I was right!...

[Geekins]

He's an arrogant tw@, but you can't help but admire what he does!

[readingbedding]

Not the best player in the World, who is? as Platini says, this is only really 'proved' in Euros/WC and the like.

Last two for me, Maradona and Zidane.

Ronaldo is a very special player though.

Arrogant? yeah, so what, he can back it up!

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Without doubt the best player in the world, probably for the last 18 months.

His form in the later stages of the CL will determine if he becomes one of the all time greats. The likes of Pele, Maradona, Zidane and Platini played for top national teams, where as Portugal dont really fall into that category. George Best is an all time great yet never even played in a major International finals

Should have won World player of the year. Kaka is a good player, but won it based on a couple of perfomances against an injury ravaged Man U.

[Wax Jacket]

against an injury ravaged Man U.

that nonetheless contained 'the world's greatest player'

Don't get me wrong I'm a big fan of Ronaldo but he needs to win something by himself (or as close as damn it)

[6ft Kerplunk]

His form in the later stages of the CL will determine if he becomes one of the all time greats. The likes of Pele, Maradona, Zidane and Platini played for top national teams, where as Portugal dont really fall into that category. George Best is an all time great yet never even played in a major International finals

Maradona didn't play for a top international team. Without him they weren't anything other than average, them winning a World Cup was as near to a single player winning the competition as you'll ever see. I'd say it would be a fair comparison to Ronaldo's Portugal.

[Ginger Ninjas]

against an injury ravaged Man U.

that nonetheless contained 'the world's greatest player'

Don't get me wrong I'm a big fan of Ronaldo but he needs to win something by himself (or as close as damn it)

Would you count this season's PL? United would surely be close to Liverpool in the table (well maybe not that low, but below Chelsea and Arsenal) without Ronaldo in the side? If George Best couldn't help N. Ireland to qualify, it's expecting too much for Ronaldo to inspire Portugal to an international championship win.

[Wax Jacket]

His form in the later stages of the CL will determine if he becomes one of the all time greats. The likes of Pele, Maradona, Zidane and Platini played for top national teams, where as Portugal dont really fall into that category. George Best is an all time great yet never even played in a major International finals

Maradona didn't play for a top international team. Without him they weren't anything other than average, them winning a World Cup was as near to a single player winning the competition as you'll ever see. I'd say it would be a fair comparison to Ronaldo's Portugal.

the point probably still stands though as it's the big club competitoons that willd etermine his greatness or otherwise

[Tony Le Mesmer]

against an injury ravaged Man U.

that nonetheless contained 'the world's greatest player'

Don't get me wrong I'm a big fan of Ronaldo but he needs to win something by himself (or as close as damn it)

My point being that Man U's defence was injury ravaged for the semi.

I suppose it depends whether you think 1 or 2 good performances in the CL or World Cup counts for more than 30 in the Premiership. Personally, I would say no.

[SpaceCruiser]

Three words:

Dives too much

[Tredder]

Three words:

Dives too much

Thank heavens you're here to add a bit of levelled opinion to the debate