What does ‘CR7’ have to do to be crowned the best?
CRISTIANO RONALDOpicked up a Spanish League champions medal in 2012. Last year he also became the first man to find the net against every La Liga team in a single season and score 40 or more in two consecutive campaigns.
On the face of it, the Portuguese, who moved to Real Madrid from Manchester United for a record-breaking £80 million in 2009 and is one of football’s highest-paid players, has a strong claim to be the world’s best.
But once again “CR7” has had to play second fiddle to Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi, whose mesmerising skills on Monday made him the first man to win four Ballons d’Or titles.
While the little Argentinian carries on re-writing the record books after a monumental, and unprecedented, 91 goals in a calendar year, Ronaldo could be forgiven for feeling hard done by.
Were it not for Messi’s brilliance, Ronaldo – who was world footballer of the year before his rival’s winning streak began – could easily have five FIFA crowns to his name.
Instead, the 27year- old from Madeira awoke on Tuesday to a blizzard of praise for his Barca counterpart – and the realisation that he is now 4-1 down in their personal duel.
Ronaldo was happy to play down the outcome in Zurich, insisting that he did not feel overshadowed and there was no ill-feeling between him and Messi.
“I am calm about it – it’s not a matter of life and death. Life goes on. I don’t feel frustrated,” he added.
So too, however, does a Liga contest which may almost be over for Real this season, as they trail a Messi-inspired Barcelona side by 16 points, with the Catalan giants having won 17 out of 18 games to date.
Ronaldo, though, will soon have the perfect chance to show off his game-changing skills when Real meet his old side Manchester United in the Champions League as he looks to add a second European title to the one he won with United five seasons ago.
Messi won one at Ronaldo’s expense in 2009 and another in 2011 as Barça overcame United on both occasions, though he did not feature in the 2006 win over Arsenal.
Regarding their respective Ballon d’Or tallies, Ronaldo says he and Messi have no problems with each other.
“There is no rivalry as to who wins more. Of course we are here to win but there’s no rivalry,” he insisted Tuesday, though before the Zurich denouement he had admitted that he would vote for himself if it were possible.
Daily Telegraph football writer Henry Winter, a member of the voting panel, said on Tuesday that he plumped for Ronaldo, hailing his “collection of virtuoso displays” that helped Real to the Spanish title and the semifinals of the Champions League.
“Week after week, Ronaldo rose to the challenge, creating goals out of nothing, using his remarkable blend of skill and athleticism, scoring 46 times in Real’s title triumph,” Winter wrote on tele- graph.co.uk.
“It was a phenomenal personal campaign and deserved some individual recognition,” he added of the Portugal captain, who also took a mediocre national side to the Euro 2012 semi-finals, where they were beaten by eventual champions Spain.
Real teammate Xabi Alonso said the Portuguese talisman has already moved on from the disappointment.
“He’s already thinking ahead to Celta Vigo, our next opponents in the Spanish Cup. I think Cristiano feels supported by the club and the club is very satisfied with him,” he added.
Even so, Ronaldo has yet to sign a new contract at the Bernabeu extending beyond his current deal which expires in mid-2015 and as such his future – and what he has to do to win the Ballon d’Or – hangs in the air. – Sapa-AFP IN THE eyes of Chelsea’s supporters, the team that Jose Mourinho built has legendary status at Stamford Bridge.
The success story began when they won the Carling Cup final against Liverpool at the Millennium Stadium in 2005, and they lifted the Premier League title three months later.
But as interim manager Rafa Benitez prepared his Chelsea side for the Capital One Cup semi-final first leg at home against Swansea City, he declared the end of an era.
“It’s easy to talk about the legends and we have to have a lot of respect for them,” Benitez said. “What they have achieved at this club is fantastic, but we have to have new players – English or foreign, it doesn’t matter – and carry on winning games. Everyone knows the legends have been here and what they have achieved, but we have to see new players coming in. It’s part of life.
“I can see the club are changing things and thinking about being successful again,” the Spaniard added. “It’s not just, ‘Oh, we won’ and that’s it.”
Petr Cech, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba have been immortalised in the history of the club after forming the backbone of Chelsea’s success.
Drogba left at the end of last season and there will be further casualties at the end of the season when Lampard and Cole move on to the next phase of their careers. It leaves Terry in a vulnerable position.
There is incredible sentiment among fans for the team Mourinho built, but the new clutch of one-touch players have arrived in the Premier League and Abramovich is hanging his hat on Eden Hazard, Juan Mata, Oscar and Victor Moses.
Benitez added: “It is one of the good things about English football because people have good memories and they respect people who achieve something for the club. That’s very positive, but you have to think about the future – you cannot wait. We have to move forward, to bring in players and, at the same time, bring the best
THERE IS INCREDIBLE SENTIMENT AMONG THE FANS FOR THE TEAM THAT MOURINHO BUILT
out of those you already have. You have to use their experience too.”
Chelsea are already deep into the transition and the further development of this team is something the next manager will be responsible for.
The club have made it clear that Lampard, who became Chelsea’s joint second-highest scorer, alongside Kerry Dixon with 193 goals, at Southampton on Saturday, will be on his way at the end of this season.
Cole, who has won four FA Cups at Chelsea and seven in total including his three at Arsenal, is also leaving at the end of the season.
Benitez added: “Every year you have to bring someone else in. Eden Hazard, Oscar, Lucas Piazon and Marko Marin came in last year and they will need some time. Maybe in the next couple of years we will be talking about these players as fantastic players. That is part of the evolution of the team.
“That has to be the way. If you want to keep winning, to have the winning mentality, you need the new generation pushing you. Chelsea are managing this situation.”
Chelsea are in transition but it has been a painful one thus far as the London side have already blown it in the Premier League, Champions League, European Super Cup, Community Shield and Fifa Club World Cup. – Daily Mail