Cristiano Ronaldo

[ClaretsPadiham]

Just scored his 39th goal of 2023, joint with Haaland. But Ronaldo is 38 years of age.

Say what you want about the guy, this isn’t a Messi v Ronaldo debate but he’s the best GOALSCORER that’s ever lived.

He wants to play till he’s 42, I wouldn’t put it past him.

[4midable]

Messi is better

[evensteadiereddie]

Mmmm, have to think about that one, Padiham.

[elwaclaret]

Just scored his 39th goal of 2023, joint with Haaland. But Ronaldo is 38 years of age.

Say what you want about the guy, this isn’t a Messi v Ronaldo debate but he’s the best GOALSCORER that’s ever lived.

He wants to play till he’s 42, I wouldn’t put it past him.

Is about the only player who is allowed to just score, and has been for years. I prefer my footballers to remember it is a team game.

[Ampth7]

Messi is better

and so it begins…….

[TheFamilyCat]

TBF those goals in the Saudi conference must be worth double a Champions League goal.

[AGENT_CLARET]

A vote for Cristiano Ronaldo from me

[Cirrus_Minor]

Pele scored 1279 goals in 1363 games. Surely the best goalscorer ever.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Ronaldo is the ultimate big game player

[ClaretsPadiham]

Make that 40 goals

[4midable]

The only people that say ronaldo is the GOAT
are them united fans that live in burnley but have seen old trafford once

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Pele scored 1279 goals in 1363 games. Surely the best goalscorer ever.

Not all of those goals have been verified

[Cirrus_Minor]

Not all of those goals have been verified

According to his Wikipedia notes it is recognised by the Guinness book of records.

[mkmel]

Portugal 5 - 0 up

How many for Ronaldo?

[Tricky Trevor]

The OP forgot to add it was yet another penalty. I rate the guy but half of his goals are FKs or pens.

[claret2018]

Half of of the Pele goals you just have to take his word for.

[claret2018]

The OP forgot to add it was yet another penalty. I rate the guy but half of his goals are FKs or pens.

Free kicks and penalties famously not counting in competitive matches

[taio]

The OP forgot to add it was yet another penalty. I rate the guy but half of his goals are FKs or pens.

Didn't realise that. Very surprised. Have you got the stats?

Free kicks are are very hard to score.

[Newcastleclaret93]

The OP forgot to add it was yet another penalty. I rate the guy but half of his goals are FKs or pens.

From what I can see off his 40 goals in 2023, 8 are penalties

[Newcastleclaret93]

From what I can see off his 40 goals in 2023, 8 are penalties

8 of haalands 39 goals have been penalties

[ClaretsPadiham]

Deffo not free kick goals, Ronaldo is terrible at free kicks, his stats prove it, he was the 2nd worst free kick taker in Europe at one point.

[claret2018]

Deffo not free kick goals, Ronaldo is terrible at free kicks, his stats prove it, he was the 2nd worst free kick taker in Europe at one point.

Wow second worst out of 750m people

[StayingDown4Ever]

Deffo not free kick goals, Ronaldo is terrible at free kicks, his stats prove it, he was the 2nd worst free kick taker in Europe at one point.

Brownhill was worst, right?

[bumba]

Ars people seriously considering Ronaldo's 40 goals in a pub league to Haalands 39 at an elite level?

[hoskinsgoalatswansea]

Is about the only player who is allowed to just score, and has been for years. I prefer my footballers to remember it is a team game.

Exactly this.

One of my students asked me recently if I thought Ronaldo was the best ever player. I replied that I didn’t even think he was the best Ronaldo.

[KRBFC]

Exactly this.

One of my students asked me recently if I thought Ronaldo was the best ever player. I replied that I didn’t even think he was the best Ronaldo.

Well that’s just batshit crazy isn’t it?

[AGENT_CLARET]

Half of of the Pele goals you just have to take his word for.

Exactly, he counted his goal's he scored in the army against other army teams, he counted all his friendly game's, and he also counted himself all the goal's he scored in so called exhibition game's he probably counted the goals he scored against his children in the back garden

His true figure is 680 club goal's and 77 international goal's, fantastic record but half of what he claims

[Chobulous]

Well that’s just batshit crazy isn’t it?

Sounds good though, I’d like to know where he read that quote

[GodIsADeeJay81]

According to his Wikipedia notes it is recognised by the Guinness book of records.

https://olympics.com/en/news/pele-goals ... r-how-many

Still a source of debate and still not verified
It’s been fleshed out using youth goals etc

[Boss Hogg]

Goals scored in the Saudi league aren’t comparable to leagues at a higher level. He did test himself and in different leagues at a higher level at a relatively old age though. Messi ( who probably had more natural talent) did not. Ronaldo’” has worked very hard for it but both Messi and Ronaldo are now playing in Mickey Mouse leagues for cash.

[AGENT_CLARET]

https://olympics.com/en/news/pele-goals ... r-how-many

Still a source of debate and still not verified
It’s been fleshed out using youth goals etc

And the goal's he scored in "escape to victory"

[Iloveyoubrady]

Ronaldo was really good in the prem two season ago. He’s two years older than messi, who is now prancing around in America having been Shite at PSG for 2 years. Barring Messi having an incredible World Cup run which probably gives him the status as the greatest ever, Ronaldo has finished his career at a higher level and nobody can question that he’s the best ever goalscorer.

[dsr]

Ronaldo was really good in the prem two season ago. He’s two years older than messi, who is now prancing around in America having been Shite at PSG for 2 years. Barring Messi having an incredible World Cup run which probably gives him the status as the greatest ever, Ronaldo has finished his career at a higher level and nobody can question that he’s the best ever goalscorer.

I can question it. True, he's scored an extra 70 or so goals but he had an extra 300 or so games to do it. He scored 123 goals in 200 internationals compared with Pele 77 in 92. Pele has a better goals per game record, but some distance. There are far more penalties now than then, which Ronaldo has scored lots of. By all means argue for Ronaldo being the best, but to say Pele isn't even in the question is a bit extreme.

[CaptainKirk]

I can question it. True, he's scored an extra 70 or so goals but he had an extra 300 or so games to do it. He scored 123 goals in 200 internationals compared with Pele 77 in 92. Pele has a better goals per game record, but some distance. There are far more penalties now than then, which Ronaldo has scored lots of. By all means argue for Ronaldo being the best, but to say Pele isn't even in the question is a bit extreme.

Yeah but Pele played in a pub league, what did he ever win of note?

[dsr]

Yeah but Pele played in a pub league, what did he ever win of note?

You're going to get taken seriously ...

[bobinho]

Brownhill was worst, right?

Just nearly wee’d my pants…

[ClaretsPadiham]

Let’s get it right Pele would have been bobbins in todays game, played all his career in the dog and duck league against Sunday league standard Brazilians with zero team shape and no defending tactics.

[Bordeauxclaret]

International record wasn’t bad though was it.

[boyyanno]

Can only assume some of the comments about Pele are bad trolling. The standard back then was light years from what it is now but you can only really judge someone in the time period they played in, and at that time Pele was seen as the best. He proved it on the international stage as well, so it's hardly like he only did it against "dog and duckers".

The same argument is never made the other way round, eg what would happen if Messi was around in Pele's era? He wouldn't have had the growth hormones from a young age and he'd be assaulted nearly every week. He'd have never had the advantage of modern training, tactics and everything else that has improved in the modern day. It's too long ago to compare the two, the game has changed immeasurably. A lot of legends of the game say that Pele is amongst the best that's ever lived, I'll side with them and say he must have been pretty good.

R9 would have been some player without injuries it has to be said.

[Greenmile]

Ronaldo was really good in the prem two season ago. He’s two years older than messi, who is now prancing around in America having been Shite at PSG for 2 years. Barring Messi having an incredible World Cup run which probably gives him the status as the greatest ever, Ronaldo has finished his career at a higher level and nobody can question that he’s the best ever goalscorer.

I reckon this guy probably can :-

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_Bican

(for those who don’t click links, Bican scored over 950 goals in 624 official matches)

[timshorts]

And the goal's he scored in "escape to victory"

Well let's face it. Ronaldo would have wanted to play for the Germans. More money, a better chance of scoring, a kit he would have looked great in when not on the pitch strutting up and down holding a fancy stick and slapping opponents faces with a pair of black leather gloves.

[willsclarets]

Well that’s just batshit crazy isn’t it?

Ability wise I think Ronaldo mk I was better. Awful injuries and a much lower level of professionalism though. Ronaldo mk II is a machine and a pure athlete. But compared to messi, Zidane and others he's just an absolute bore to watch.

[KRBFC]

Ability wise I think Ronaldo mk I was better. Awful injuries and a much lower level of professionalism though. Ronaldo mk II is a machine and a pure athlete. But compared to messi, Zidane and others he's just an absolute bore to watch.

I think people are forgetting how good prime CR7 was. Absolutely incredible and the clutchest player of all time, he’s been a shadow of his former self since leaving Madrid, playing centrally and adapted his game because of age.

Ability counts for nothing if you don’t consistently perform for long periods imo. The longevity of Messi and Ronaldo has been disgusting to watch.

To say R9 is better is just so wrong, if X player didn’t get injured he’d have been better than CR7, if X player didn’t smoke/drink he’d have been better than Messi. If Francis Jeffers didn’t leave X club he’d have been a world beater. If 16 year old Walcott didn’t leave Southampton he’d have been the best.

Making excuses for players who didn’t reach their potential/sustain it and comparing them to players who have been out performing everyone else for 20 years at the highest level.

[Florian]

Messi for another ballon d'or

[Iloveyoubrady]

Ability wise I think Ronaldo mk I was better. Awful injuries and a much lower level of professionalism though. Ronaldo mk II is a machine and a pure athlete. But compared to messi, Zidane and others he's just an absolute bore to watch.

A bore to watch!?
Ronaldo in his United and first 5 or so years at Madrid was the most exciting to watch. He was rapid, constantly dribbled and scored screamers from distance. He became a goal scoring machine after about age 32 because he could no longer run at defenders.

[Iloveyoubrady]

I reckon this guy probably can :-

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_Bican

(for those who don’t click links, Bican scored over 950 goals in 624 official matches)

Come on now. I know football didn’t start when the premier league started or whatever, but it’s a different game. The fact none of these supposedly better (but still absolutely generational) players like R9 ronaldo got anywhere near his numbers says a lot.

[Greenmile]

Come on now. I know football didn’t start when the premier league started or whatever, but it’s a different game. The fact none of these supposedly better (but still absolutely generational) players like R9 ronaldo got anywhere near his numbers says a lot.

What’s the earliest you’re allowed to have played to be in the conversation, then, in your opinion? Because for me there is no cut-off date, for the reasons outlined by others on this thread when talking about Pele (ie poorer pitches, tactics, medical techniques etc.)

You can only judge a goalscorer by their goalscoring record, and Bican’s was miles better (per game played) than Ronaldo’s.

[Burnley1989]

I think people are forgetting how good prime CR7 was. Absolutely incredible and the clutchest player of all time, he’s been a shadow of his former self since leaving Madrid, playing centrally and adapted his game because of age.

Ability counts for nothing if you don’t consistently perform for long periods imo. The longevity of Messi and Ronaldo has been disgusting to watch.

To say R9 is better is just so wrong, if X player didn’t get injured he’d have been better than CR7, if X player didn’t smoke/drink he’d have been better than Messi. If Francis Jeffers didn’t leave X club he’d have been a world beater. If 16 year old Walcott didn’t leave Southampton he’d have been the best.

Making excuses for players who didn’t reach their potential/sustain it and comparing them to players who have been out performing everyone else for 20 years at the highest level.

We’ve all got that mate that could have made it but for an injury or enjoying the beer too much “he was twice the player Jay was at school”
Does make me smile when it crops up every few months in a drunken debate

[claretonthecoast1882]

The original Ronaldo is by some distance the best player I have ever seen live.

I was lucky enough to be on a freebie at Old Trafford when he almost on his own put Man Utd out the champions league in the early 2000s. An unbelievable talent to see live.

[SalouClaret]

Cristiano Ronaldo is great, one of the best ever... but you can't be having a big love-in because he's scored a few goals in which are basically friendlies. He's playing against other has-beens and a bunch of Saudis