Cristiano Ronaldo - Style of Play

Style of Play

Many experts have testified to Ronaldo's skills and impact as the best modern-day footballer (alongside Lionel Messi), described as a fast, tricky, strong, skillful winger and striker who will take on any defender with his dribbling and pace; he hits his free kicks with power and pace, and is able to beat defenders off the dribble and cross the ball. He is able to score with his head and both feet. He is also an accurate set piece and penalty kick taker.

Ronaldo said: "I didn't have any particular idols as a child. My ambition was to play for my national team because that's where the footballers I mostly followed played. I'm sure I used to do stuff I no longer do due to age or experience." Ronaldo cited his Brazilian namesake, Ronaldo, as one of his footballing heroes. Ronaldo admitted his desire to carve his name in history alongside footballing legends such as Pele and Diego Maradona.

French legend Zinedine Zidane labelled Ronaldo "a truly remarkable professional football player, who works like no other athlete" for his performance and playing skills. England legend David Beckham stated: "Cristiano Ronaldo is a phenomenon and one of the best players in the world." Real Madrid midfielder Mesut Özil described Cristiano Ronaldo as the "perfect player". Argentine forward Lionel Messi stated: "He certainly can decide the fate of a game in any given moment." Argentinian legend Diego Maradona declared that he felt that Ronaldo was "the best player on the planet" along with Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo's increasing reputation led the media to draw comparisons between Ronaldo and FC Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, which Ronaldo has commented on saying: "Some people say I'm better, other people say it's him, but at the end of the day, they're going to decide who is the best player. Sometimes it makes me tired. For him too because they compare us together all the time. You cannot compare a Ferrari with a Porsche because it's a different engine. You cannot compare them. He does the best things for Barcelona, I do the best things for Madrid. I think we push each other sometimes in the competition, this is why the competition is so high." However, former great players have criticized the comparison, such as Brazilian legend Pelé said: "We can't compare Messi and Ronaldo. They got different styles." Former Portuguese international Luis Figo stated: "It is not right to compare them . I like watching both of them when they play, why ask which one is the best? It's like when you eat something, why choose one meal, when you can try both?" Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos said "...Ronaldo can do much more for Madrid than Messi can for Barcelona. Madrid really depend on Ronaldo to perform well, while Barcelona are so much more than Messi." Ronaldo's Real Madrid manager, José Mourinho, once stated: "If both Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were born in different eras, they would have ruled the football scene and collected 10 FIFA Ballon d'Ors each."

However, Ronaldo has been criticised for his performance in the national team, on which Maradona has commented: "As good as he is with Real Madrid, he often seems frustrated on the national level, as if he was surrounded by players who do little to assist him." Ronaldo also has been criticised for his diving when tackled. For which José Mourinho has told: "Cristiano is a player who does not have the culture of the swimming pool, he has no culture of simulation, he is a British-trained player, Ferguson trained. In some cases, the simulators are given more protection, and those who are honest are often the losers. I'm not a hypocrite if I say that they (defenders) hit Cristiano very hard, and that the yellow cards do not arrive or are slow in coming."