Ronaldo, a showman we should all cherish
FORGET, for a moment, the goals. Yes, all 600 of them. Yes, even the two in Cardiff on Saturday. Here are a couple of vignettes from Cristiano Ronaldo’s fourth Champions League victory. Failures, really. Dismissed almost instantly by those who saw them. A pair of inconsequential trifles that may just show what sets him apart as a footballer.
In the 27th minute, Mario Mandzukic equalised for Juventus with an exceptional overhead kick, having first kept the ball up on the edge of the Real Madrid area. It truly was one of the goals of the season; arguably one of the finest a Champions League or European Cup final has seen.
So, from Real Madrid’s next attack, Ronaldo attempted an even more spectacular, first-time, overhead kick of his own. He got a decent connection, but it was blocked, early, on its course to goal.
Yet he tried. That is what makes him special to watch. It mattered to him that Mandzukic had, momentarily, stolen the spotlight. He didn’t want to be outdone.
He didn’t just want to get his team back in front; he wanted to be the man who scored the best goal of the 2017 Champions League final, too.
There is his rivalry with Lionel Messi. Of course it’s personal. Ronaldo takes football personally. He doesn’t just want to be on the winning team. He must be the best player, and lauded as such. He must be the player everyone talks about as they leave.
How many footballers are happy to place that pressure on themselves in every game they play? Not enough. How many would deliver if they did? Almost none.
Shortly afterwards, Madrid put the ball into a crowd of players in the box. Ronaldo jumped but it sailed over his head. Yet replays showed that his leap put him half a torso higher than any other player challenging; and Juventus do not have a small defence.
So this is a player whose greatest gifts are with the ball at his feet, who now assumes responsibility to lead the line. At 32, most forwards are looking to re-invent themselves in areas that are less exposed. Midfield, mostly. Pull the strings, dictate the play. Stay out of the front line.
Yet Real Madrid have two immense players who do that: Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. And Ronaldo enjoys the glory too much to wholly turn provider. So his re-invention is as a striker. He has taken on the same responsibility as Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Kylian Mbappe. He is Madrid’s target man.
There is something special about watching Ronaldo because he wants you to remember him; he wants his performance to burn into your brain; he wants it to be cherished; he wants the The Real deal: Cristiano Ronaldo story passed on to your grandchildren. He is the physical embodiment of the terrace anthem that began as ‘Hail, Hail, the Celts are Here’ with its optimistic promise: ‘For we only know that there’s going to be a show, and the Glasgow Celtic will be there.’ His name would fit right into that verse. And the show is what Ronaldo guarantees. He will not always be the winner, he will not always be the best player, but he will always try to be both. Juventus had only conceded three goals in European competition all season before they met his Real Madrid team. They last shipped four in one game against Bayern Munich on March 16, 2016. Unsurprisingly, it was the group that coach Zinedine Zidane wished to talk about, above any individuals, or even himself. ‘I was a scandalously bad coach, and now I’m the best,’ he deadpanned, with the shrug of a man who is only too aware of football’s extremes.
‘I was surprised to hear for so many weeks that we were the clear favourites,’ said Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri. ‘They were defending champions for a reason, and they have great players. If someone wins the Ballon d’Or and scores so many goals, it is a huge advantage.’
He didn’t have to name him. He didn’t need to. JUVENTUS (4-2-3-1): Buffon 6, Alves 6, Barzagli 6 (Cuadrado 66, 5), Bonucci 6, Chiellini 6, Sandro 7, Pjanic 6 (Marchisio 70, 6), Khedira 6, Higuain 6, Dybala 7 (Lemina 78, 5), Mandzukic 7. Subs not used: Neto, Benatia, Asamoah,Lichtsteiner. Goal: Mandzukic 27. Booked: Dybala, Sandro, Pjanic, Cuadrado. Sent off: Cuadrado. Manager: Max Allegri 6 REAL MADRID (4-3-1-2): Navas 7, Carvajal 6, Ramos 7, Varane 7, Marcelo 7, Kroos 7 (Morata 89, 7), Casemiro 7, Modric 9, Isco 8 (Asensio 82, 8), Benzema 7 (Bale 77, 7), Ronaldo 8. Subs not used: Casilla, Nacho, Kovacic, Danilo. Booked: Carvajal, Ramos, Kroos. Manager: Zinedine Zidane 9 Referee: Felix Brych 7.