This was not how it was supposed to happen, it was all going according to the plan a few weeks ago.
There is supposed to be no pressure, this was supposed to be a celebration of two of the greatest talents football has ever seen, playing on the biggest stage football had to offer.
But Instead, it is a pressure pot, there are no celebrations in sight only criticism from ex-teammates and ex-players who never got close to their level. Perhaps if they criticized themselves they would have played as long or been as decorated, but I digress.
Ronaldo made a wrong choice, one that altered the ending of his career. He chose loyalty over glory and stability.
He was on his way to Manchester City to unite with Pep Guardiola, a unity which would surely produce trophies and greater notoriety for the Citizens. Then Alex Ferguson called and persuaded him to join Manchester United.
Two things must be learned here, not everyone who loves you knows what’s best for you, and older people aren’t wiser or better at predicting the future.
Ronaldo followed the wishes of his former boss and made his way to Old Trafford, a ground that has witnessed the decline of players in their prime and the stagnation of some of the most exciting youth prospects in world football.
Just by body language alone, it was clear he didn’t believe the standard of the team he picked, but we all knew this. It’s insane to think no one in Ronaldo’s circle pointed out to him he was walking into a trap.
Manchester United fans for years have placed all the club’s lack of progress on a few players, and Ronaldo looks like the perfect player to pin all this giant shit on.
Ronaldo extraordinarily (which looking at it now is actually normal for him as he has made a career out of doing extraordinary stuff on weekly basis) scored 18 premier league goals for Manchester United in a season where instability was the regular schedule.
Only Mo Salah and Son scored more goals than him in the entire Premier League. More than kane, Mane, Gabriel Jesus and even Sterling.
One would think a 37 year old man scoring 18 goals in the “hardest league in the world” and certainly in a disfunctional team would be heavily applauded.
But you have Ex footballers like Wayne Rooney and Jamie Carragher saying its not about the goals, he’s stagnating the team.
I understand Jamie Carragher’s case he must have been ruined by Ronaldo at some point, but Rooney is just sad.
This man at 33 was shipped off to everton where he actually stagnated the club, didn’t have it at a high level anymore so he went to America the very next season. You quit at 34 but you’re criticising a 37 year old scoring 20 goals a season? Madness.
He gets released by Manchester United because of an interview he appeared on with Piers Morgan which was a brutal expose. He went through the process of signing for United and also explained the stagnation the club was experiencing on muiltipkle levels. click here for that story.
He had made it clear that his focus was solely on Portugal and that a club transfer would be sorted after the World Cup.
Tensions rose during the world cup as Ronaldo was substituted against south Korea, he was benched in the round of 16 against Switzerland with country man Goncalo Ramos getting a hat trick.
The media had their ammunition, every news outlet said he was dead weight and was dragging Portugal down, no problem.
Morroco came and ramos went, no one cared about how he was better than Ronaldo anymore, Portugal are down by a goal, Morroco have one of the best defence in the whole competition, bring on the 37 year old Ronaldo to shoulder more responsibility so that when he fails we can blame him.
The narrative after the loss changed from Portugal is better of without Ronaldo, to Ronaldo let Portugal down.
If Santos badly wanted to send a message, was now the best time to do it. You bench the biggest player football ever produced in the last two World Cup games of his career.
Seeing the disrespect Ronaldo has gotten and understanding that if he took the easier route and not gone to United but play in the MLS and just make money, the criticism would have been worse.
Never have I seen someone deliver for 20 years and gets judged upon a single season that’s half way finished.
So what actually is next for Ronaldo? A lucrative Saudi deal is on the table which solves all the noise and criticism, he would score 50 goals a season and be loved 100 % by the saudi crowd instead of scoring a brace and have ccarragher harp on about defensive work.
No matter what he chooses Ronaldo for a long time will remain the biggest football player ever, I’m curiously watching his ride.
