Ronaldo is worthy winner
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Reuters
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Aralık 03, 2008 00:00
PARIS/LONDON - Manchester United and Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded the Ballon d'Or yesterday after inspiring the English club to the Champions League and Premier League double this year.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi came second and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres third in a poll of 96 journalists from all over the world organized by France Football.
The Portugal winger was runner-up to Kaka in the Ballon D'or last year and, after scoring an extraordinary 42 goals to help propel Manchester United to the Champions League and Premier League double, was untouchable in the race for this year's award.
For all the diving, the theatrics, the exaggeration, the "what me?" shrugs and the Real Madrid transfer shenanigans, Ronaldo's most important contribution to the game is his quite extraordinary array of talents.
There are many people who can perform eye-boggling acts of football trickery but the closest most of them get to the professional game is a bit part in a halftime fizzy drink advert.
Ronaldo does it in the white heat of battle at the very highest level against the most committed defenders who take it personally when he makes mugs of them.
His tricks, more often than not, are less for show and more a means to an end as, once he has made his space, he wastes little time in delivering his crosses and incisive passes.
Only George Best, who also won his 1968 European player of the year award after helping United to win the European Cup and scoring in the final, combined that talent as a winger and provider who also had a greed for goals.
Ronaldo's return last season of 42 in 49 games was astonishing. The haul contained goals of all sorts, dead-eye free kicks, calm one-on-one finishes, "right-place, right-time" tap-ins and a number of towering headers.
Illustrious CV
"All these great players over the years, the Maradonas, Cruyffs, Peles -- they all took a kick. It didn't deter them at all," United manager Alex Ferguson said last week. "Cristiano has a similar thing. He had an operation in the summer, which was the result of consistent tackling on him, but he's naturally brave."
Like those greats, his talents cross the club and country divide. He is a talent that puts thousands on the gate. A player who fathers want their sons to watch and one their wives and daughters have an eye for too.
It is certainly a long and illustrious CV for a player who is still only 23 and there is room for many more glorious entries yet.
His award - which he has widely spoken about having said in the last week that not only is he the best footballer in the world but also the second and third best - comes on the back of exceptional performances for his club side last season.
"It's one of the most beautiful days in my life. I've been dreaming of this trophy since I was a child," said Ronaldo. "I was not scared (of not winning the award) because I was aware of what I had done in the season. Thank you to my team mates, who helped me to be the best, thank you to those who set me up for these goals.
"This morning, arriving at the training session, I will be the same lad," he added. "What is sure is that I want to win again because it is so good."
The Portugal winger was runner-up to Kaka in the Ballon D'or last year and, after scoring an extraordinary 42 goals to help propel Manchester United to the Champions League and Premier League double, was untouchable in the race for this year's award.
For all the diving, the theatrics, the exaggeration, the "what me?" shrugs and the Real Madrid transfer shenanigans, Ronaldo's most important contribution to the game is his quite extraordinary array of talents.
There are many people who can perform eye-boggling acts of football trickery but the closest most of them get to the professional game is a bit part in a halftime fizzy drink advert.
Ronaldo does it in the white heat of battle at the very highest level against the most committed defenders who take it personally when he makes mugs of them.
His tricks, more often than not, are less for show and more a means to an end as, once he has made his space, he wastes little time in delivering his crosses and incisive passes.
Only George Best, who also won his 1968 European player of the year award after helping United to win the European Cup and scoring in the final, combined that talent as a winger and provider who also had a greed for goals.
Ronaldo's return last season of 42 in 49 games was astonishing. The haul contained goals of all sorts, dead-eye free kicks, calm one-on-one finishes, "right-place, right-time" tap-ins and a number of towering headers.
Illustrious CV
"All these great players over the years, the Maradonas, Cruyffs, Peles -- they all took a kick. It didn't deter them at all," United manager Alex Ferguson said last week. "Cristiano has a similar thing. He had an operation in the summer, which was the result of consistent tackling on him, but he's naturally brave."
Like those greats, his talents cross the club and country divide. He is a talent that puts thousands on the gate. A player who fathers want their sons to watch and one their wives and daughters have an eye for too.
It is certainly a long and illustrious CV for a player who is still only 23 and there is room for many more glorious entries yet.
His award - which he has widely spoken about having said in the last week that not only is he the best footballer in the world but also the second and third best - comes on the back of exceptional performances for his club side last season.
"It's one of the most beautiful days in my life. I've been dreaming of this trophy since I was a child," said Ronaldo. "I was not scared (of not winning the award) because I was aware of what I had done in the season. Thank you to my team mates, who helped me to be the best, thank you to those who set me up for these goals.
"This morning, arriving at the training session, I will be the same lad," he added. "What is sure is that I want to win again because it is so good."