The Ballon d'Or winner and FIFA World Player of the Year has football at his feet in every sense - but where should his future lie? Three Goal.com experts investigate...With another feather now added to Cristiano Ronaldo’s already garish cap, is there anything left in England for him to conquer? Shouldn’t he just ditch Manchester United at the end of the season and fulfil his life-long dream of playing for Real Madrid, who courted him so relentlessly last summer that he might well have taken out a restraining order?
Well, to be quite honest... no, he shouldn’t. And the very question only comes into play if Sir Alex Ferguson decides to let his most valuable player leave, which he won’t.
Yes, the lure of the Santiago Bernabeu is great, and there are many valid reasons for making the switch. Taking on a new challenge and testing his extraordinary talents further; living the Latino lifestyle, where absurd tans and totalled Ferraris are run-of-the-mill; and then there’s the (more) astronomical wages on offer.
But think of what Portugal’s golden boy would be leaving behind. Real Madrid are arguably the greatest club on the planet, but it’s because of United that the argument exists. And at the moment, the champions of England, Europe and the world are stating the stronger case.
Ronaldo has not only been pivotal to that success, he’s been the catalyst. It is no coincidence that the Red Devils’ return to the top has come while their wing wonder has enjoyed the best form of his career to date. It’s incredible to think that he is only 23 and already being mentioned alongside the likes of George Best, Denis Law and Sir Bobby Charlton as one of the club’s best ever players. He’s almost guaranteed legend status if he stays put, whereas if he goes...
They say the grass is always greener on the other side. From his current perch, Ronaldo looks toward Iberia and sees La Liga glory, that famous white strip with his name on the back, and 100,000 Madridistas cheering his every touch.
But if he makes his dream move, he might find himself struggling with the constant uncertainty over who will be coaching him tomorrow, tired at the relentless and ridiculous paper-talk, and depressed at the howls that greet every failed dribble and scuffed shot during a lean patch.
Then, he will look back to the North West of England, and he might pine for the lush expanses of Old Trafford and the dependable, comparatively turmoil-free comfort of its dressing room. He might appreciate the somewhat less radical nature of the Stretford End regulars, and regret that he passed up the chance to pen a chapter in Devils folklore. And he may even mutter that it was a mistake to leave Manchester United.
Resource: Goal.com
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