Real Madrid, a collector of megastars, was ready to part with a record transfer sum of £ 54 million for world football. But Manchester United took the lead by signing a five-year contract with a super-gifted footballer with a staggering weekly salary of 140 thousand pounds. His teammates unanimously recognize him as the best player in the world. And his two goals in the return quarterfinals of the Champions League, which turned into the Roma casting (7: 1), excited Europe and caused associations with the legendary George Best.
The more ardent fans of the 22-year-old Portuguese went even further, putting him on a par with Maradona and Pele, while detractors consider the swift footed winger an overrated snorkeling dude. But no one will argue that since the summer of 2003, his most important judge, Sir Alex Ferguson, rode over such “heavyweights” as Real Madrid and Juventus, the Manchester United coach has always done everything in his power, to keep on the Old Trafford the leader of the Portuguese national team, whom he himself dubbed the Phenomenon.
United Scouts began to take a closer look at the prodigy of the Lisbon Sporting a year before his move to foggy Albion. The ingenious game performed by 18-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo in the offseason test match against future teammates led those in admiration. She also persuaded Ferguson to fork out £ 12 million and set a record for junior players in British football; I had to spend the money from the sale of David Beckham to Real Madrid.
Having dressed Cristiano Ronaldo in a Spiceboy t-shirt with the abundantly saturated Old Trafford story number 7 (although the player himself wanted to play under Sporting # 28) and declaring the Portuguese to be the successor to the captain of the English national team, Ferguson immediately made it clear that he was betting on him. Sir Alex never doubted the abilities of the former player “Maritimo” and “Nacional” and tried his best to ensure that maximum comfort both inside and outside the team. And after the notorious fight during a training session with the star Ore van Nistelrooy, it was the Red Devils sniper record holder in the Champions League, and not young but early, that was sold to the Royal Club for £ 19 million.
Manchester United came to the rescue after the wink incident at the 2006 World Cup, which turned Cristiano Ronaldo into the number one enemy of England. The riot of the press, caused by the removal of Wayne Rooney in the German quarterfinal, reached the point that the Manchester winger could not stand it and publicly announced his desire to leave the Premier League and go to Spain. Ferguson again managed to smooth out the sharp corners, convincing the Portuguese to stay, and he still thanks the chef for an outstanding season. At the same time, demonstrating remarkable potential, in which the Scottish specialist never ceased to believe.
Previously criticized for his excessive enthusiasm for individual actions, Cristiano Ronaldo became a team player - this season he has already accounted for more than 20 assists. The best illustration of the reincarnation is the pass to Michael Carrick, who allowed him to open an account in the already mentioned match with Roma; earlier in a similar situation, the Portuguese would try to score himself.
Along with progress in collaboration with partners, the speed of decision-making has also improved markedly. If in the past season his feints and tricks often led to the loss of the ball or were driven into a dead end, now in the game Cristiano Ronaldo has an element of completeness, which was so lacking before. High speed and masterly handling of the ball have always been the trump cards of a native of Madeira in the attack. Now in his arsenal there is a more formidable weapon - goals. Last summer, Ferguson made a bet with Cristiano Ronaldo that he would not be able to score 15 goals in the 06/07 season. A month before the end of the season, the winger already has 20 goals, and in the Premier League snipers dispute, he takes second place with 16 accurate hits on the target.
“Two-legged” makes it equally useful on both flanks, which, together with the overall progress in the game, deserves generous praise. But is Cristiano Ronaldo really the best player in the world, to which more and more representatives of the football community are inclined? At least in the leading leagues in Europe, which supplied the best players on the planet according to FIFA since 1991, there are not so many real competitors.
The Dutch championship brought to light only one winner of the not-so-rich Diamond Ball, the Brazilian striker Ronaldo, who defended PSV colors in the year of his triumph. This season, the most quoted player in the Netherlands Championship is again representing the club from Eindhoven. But defender Alex, despite his obvious relevance to PSV, is unlikely to gain a lot of votes. Since the beginning of March, when the Brazilian went out of order due to a hamstring injury, the Dutch champion has lost 12-point leadership in the league.
The French championship has never delegated the winners of the survey. It is unlikely that there will be one in this season, in which not a single French club made it to the quarterfinals of the Champions League, and this is one of the determining factors in identifying the FIFA winner. And let the striker of the Valenciennes debut in the elite Steve Savidan continue to lead the scorer race, and enthusiastic French journalists still consider the 24-year-old winger Marcel Franck Ribery, who is about to go to Arsenal, the most delicious piece of the League transfer cake 1. All the same, the title of leading player in the French championship retains Juninho Pernambucano of Lyon. And the Brazilian’s ability to score crucial goals from penalties is still one of the advantages of the “Lions” in pursuit of the sixth consecutive league title. Meanwhile, in the same France, the South American has long been called "Monsieur 50 to 50," because of favorable situations, he misses no less than he scores. And this somewhat belittles his virtues.
For most of the season in the Spanish example, African striker Samuel Eto'o's talent wasn’t claimed due to injury, and Ronaldinho, two-time Diamond Ball winner and current Fabio Cannavaro laureate, were in decline. The appearance on the proscenium of actively claiming the title of “Seville” is by no means accidental. Her main striking force - the former Tottenham striker Frederick Kanute - at the head of the list of snipers. But the lion's share of compliments goes to his universal teammate Daniel Alves. Last season, when Sevilla won the UEFA Cup and Super Cup, the Brazilian lateral was recognized as the most useful player in the club's second most important European tournament. And the Spanish grandees Barcelona and Real Madrid, in which 10 of the 16 best players in the world played or continue to play according to the FIFA version, staged a hunt for the estimated 60 million euros by Daniel Alves.
In Germany, the palm belongs to the representatives of the Bundesliga leader. During the winter break, the footballers of the German elite division themselves voted for the Werder playmaker Diego. However, then the affairs of the former star of the gold "Santos" of the 2002 model year, playing side by side with Alex, Robinho and Renato, did not work out. However, like all "Bremen musicians." According to estimates made by Kicker after each match, now the best player in the Bundesliga is Schalke 04 goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, and the best field player is teammate Diego Torsten Frings. Despite the ability of the German midfielder to beat beautifully from afar, this is not the type of soccer player who, with his game, makes fans jump up from their seats. So the laurels of the best player of the Bundesliga, perhaps, will go to Diego.
If Thierry Henry, a two-time silver FIFA laureate in 2003-04, was completely healthy, he would undoubtedly have made Cristiano Ronaldo a decent competition in the English Premier League. But even in the absence of the Frenchman, there was someone to challenge. Didier Drogba, the recently crowned best player in Africa 2006, added significantly compared to last season. In winter, Chelsea striker almost alone carried the team on his shoulders through an epidemic of injuries and the futile attempts of Andriy Shevchenko. After all, he's the Premier League top scorer. But if the “MJ” Cristiano Ronaldo will win the championship title (and that’s all), do not see the Ivorian “Diamond Ball” as their ears.
Prima A series forward “Inter” Zlatan Ibrahimovic this season also significantly increased his playing level, getting rid of the instability that prevented him in his previous career. The famous Swede Henrik Larsson is sure: his compatriot possesses all the qualities necessary for the best player in the world, which, alas, often - especially in matches for the national team - disappear in vain. That does not compare to Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored 12 goals in 36 matches for the Portuguese national team.
Francesco Totti is also good now, albeit, as is usually the case, in matches with such victims as Ascoli, Parma and Torino. Despite the Rossoneri’s unsuccessful campaign for the Scudetto, Kaka holds the brand and dispatcher of Milan. And against the background of the successful game of the Carlo Ancelotti team, as, for example, during the recent winning match at the Alliance Arena, even more so. Recently, of all the Brazilians, perhaps, it is Kaka who is the most stable. In addition, circus quality is not inherent in him. And he is still one of the best in the world.
Thus, running a gallop across Europe, we can say that Cristiano Ronaldo has only two real rivals - Kaka and Drogba. And, most likely, the one whose team will win the Champions League will win. And Manchester United, and Milan, and Chelsea are represented in its semifinals. But until the trophy finds its lucky winner, until May 23 the question remains open.
Only one thing is clear: Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the strongest players on the planet. And if in the next season the Portuguese will progress as rapidly as this year, then in a year we will have nothing to argue about.
Translation by Andrey KARNAUKHOV