Writing’s on the wall for rivals if Ronaldo receives helping hand

 
Cristiano Ronaldo
Steve Cording25 June 2012

If the accusations of selfishness are true, then Cristiano Ronaldo probably believes he could play with any other 10 players in the world and still end up on the winning side.

Ronaldo has gone some way to disproving the theory that there is no ‘I’ in team during Euro 2012 as he has been the main inspiration that has catapulted Portugal into Thursday’s Iberian semi-final with Spain.

He scored 60 goals for Real Madrid this season and has three so far in Poland and Ukraine. It could and should have been many more for the ‘pouting one’, who has proved again, whether you love him or hate him, that he is box office.

“Ronaldo or Messi?” Gary Lineker asked his BBC pundit for the night, Jurgen Klinsmann, after the former Manchester United winger had scored in the quarter-final win over the Czech Republic.

The German sat on the fence. Maybe Lineker would have got a more straight answer from the German if he had inquired whether Klinsmann was a ‘boobs or bum man’. Choosing between the two is tough because they offer such contrasting attributes as players. Messi, squat, powerful with the ball stuck to his magical left foot; Ronaldo full of speed and strength. Two things the two stars of La Liga do have in common is that they know how to find the back of the net and neither has ever really shone on the international stage.

Messi won a gold medal with Argentina at the 2008 Olympics and Ronaldo helped Portugal to the final of Euro 2004, yet they have never fully replicated their domestic form when pulling on their country’s jersey.

Ronaldo started this tournament sluggishly as Portugal’s impressive coach, Paulo Bento, kept the handbrake on his team until the last 20 minutes when they fell behind against Germany. Against the Danes, Ronaldo improved but still missed chances and he finally clicked against the Dutch with two clinical strikes.

He added to those with his header past Petr Cech and his stats in this tournament would suggest Portugal have morphed into a one-man team. Ronaldo has had 29 shots on goal, the most by one player at the Euros since 1980, and Portugal have set a record by

hitting the woodwork five times, with four of those from Ronaldo.

He appears to be on a solo mission to lift the Henri Delaunay trophy on Sunday — and I believe he will — but only if his former United team-mate Luis Carlos Almeida da Cunha, aka Nani, takes his head out of his proverbial.

Raul Meireles and Joao Moutinho have provided the perfect platform in midfield for Portugal’s attacks; Ronaldo’s Madrid team-mates Pepe and Fabio Coentrao — despite his dreadful Limahl haircut — are part of a tight back four and Helder Postiga, before his hamstring injury, and then Hugo Almeida are holding the pouting one’s hand adequately up front.

Nani remains the enigma. Brilliant at times but infuriatingly like Franz Carr was in his heyday at Nottingham Forest, Nani keeps getting into prime positions and then wasting his opportunity.

The winger is reported to be concerned about his future at Old Trafford because he has heard nothing about a new contract offer. Maybe Sir Alex Ferguson has run out of patience with Nani; it is not a surprise. In five seasons at United, Nani has had games that made their fans forget Ronaldo — the 3-1 win at Arsenal in 2010 being one — but so many others when dazzling runs have ended with the ball in Row Z.

Comparisons between Nani and Ronaldo are as unfair as those between the pouter and Messi. The United man now has the chance to show he can shine in his own right, yet it is one that, so far, appears to be beyond him.

I have spent time in Madeira and seen the impoverished upbringing that Ronaldo has come from and how revered he is on his home island.

It has made him what he is today — opposing fans might think he is the handle that opens a door — but it is his desire to win that makes him unwilling to accept second best. Nani can expect an earful if he supplies substandard crosses and anything less than balls on a plate for his compatriot against Spain.

Portugal are now united as a squad, like England, but their togetherness manifested itself in a different way when they refused to talk to the press after the win over Holland in protest at the criticism levelled at Ronaldo.

Nani was one of those who spoke up in favour of his team-mate. If he can turn those words into actions, Ronaldo will be lifting silverware on Sunday.

Thankful for

Andy Murray. He may never win a Grand Slam title but we will miss him when he’s gone with no sign of a British male taking up his mantle.

Hopeful for

Dwain Chambers to make the Olympic qualifying time and run in London. He was wrong to swear but it was understandable in the circumstances.

Chance for

Bradley Wiggins to defy the odds and win the Tour de France which starts this week. What a boost for London that would be.

Twitter @stevecording

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