Only Vas Borbokis..

[PeterNdlovu081]

Ability. Class. Quality.

I’ve seen them both play.

I'm guessing you missed the 2014 World Cup final then when Sir Lionel went completely missing.

Ronaldo is the best big game player of all time. The man has nerves of steel.

 

[Tom Bott]

I actually kissed him on the side of the head running onto the pitch after some game or other!!

Coventry FA Cup maybe????
his ear was covered in Vaseline :O

Was it you that kissed Tony Agana that time with your kit off ?

 

[BusheyBlade]

I'm guessing you missed the 2014 World Cup final then when Sir Lionel went completely missing.

Ronaldo is the best big game player of all time. The man has nerves of steel.

Not to mention Argentina's match with Iceland over the weekend where he spent the entire match sulking (something Ronaldo is generally accused of doing) and took an awful penalty. Ronaldo on the other hand single handedly earned his side a point against one of the best teams in the world.

If Ronaldo had played like Messi he'd be getting a shed load of abuse, Messi appears to be immune to most abuse. I wonder if it's because Barcelona are media darlings whilst Madrid are generally pretty unliked.

 

[wizadry]

Not to mention Argentina's match with Iceland over the weekend where he spent the entire match sulking (something Ronaldo is generally accused of doing) and took an awful penalty. Ronaldo on the other hand single handedly earned his side a point against one of the best teams in the world.

If Ronaldo had played like Messi he'd be getting a shed load of abuse, Messi appears to be immune to most abuse. I wonder if it's because Barcelona are media darlings whilst Madrid are generally pretty unliked.

I don’t disagree with that but just for a bit of balance, Messi was stifled against Iceland whereas Ronaldo had a lot more space against Spain and I say this clearly in the Pro Ronaldo side of the debate.

 

[Pierre's PC]

No matter how Ronaldo is perceived, he'll never be a waste of air compared to that mardy, one-trick showpony Naymar JR.

Coutinho is twice the player that septic, Wybourn cunt is.

 

[Pinchy]

Ronaldo is the best big game player of all time. The man has nerves of steel.

Ridiculous.

 

[I should coco]

Ronaldo is the best big game player of all time. The man has nerves of steel.

Yes, in the three WC finals Pele played in, he bottled it. Nerves of jelly to score just 77 goals in the WC.

Not a patch on the pouting Portuguese peacock.

 

[JackSUFC]

Ronaldo on the other hand single handedly earned his side a point against one of the best teams in the world..

A soft penalty and a goalkeeping howler. I'll give him that free-kick though (1st in 40-odd attempts).

 

[Pinchy]

Yes, in the three WC finals Pele played in, he bottled it. Nerves of jelly to score just 77 goals in the WC.

Not a patch on the pouting Portuguese peacock.

When aged 16 young Edson played his first international. A no-pressure fixture against Argentina. He scored.

At the age of 17, despite shaking from head to toe, he scored a hat-trick in a World Cup Semi-Final. His nerves went in the Final and he only managed a couple.

He managed to win another World Cup four years later, scoring one and making another in the only game he played in the tournament before succumbing to an anxiety related injury.

In 1970 he persuaded his doctor to prescribe a few Bennies such that he emerged as the shining light in the greatest football team the world has ever seen. Despite frequent panic attacks he scored in another World Cup Final and set up two others, one of them arguably the greatest goal of all time until our second against Swindon.

Ronaldo? Fucking Ronaldo.

 

[nopigfansintown]

I'm guessing you missed the 2014 World Cup final then when Sir Lionel went completely missing.

Ronaldo is the best big game player of all time. The man has nerves of steel.

Would that be the same World Cup when Messi got the player of the tournament award? I can't remember Ronaldo carrying his side to the WC final by the way, or receiving the player of the tournament award in a world cup. Nor did he turn up to the final of the euros.

 

[Blade for Sale]

When aged 16 young Edson played his first international. A no-pressure fixture against Argentina. He scored.

At the age of 17, despite shaking from head to toe, he scored a hat-trick in a World Cup Semi-Final. His nerves went in the Final and he only managed a couple.

He managed to win another World Cup four years later, scoring one and making another in the only game he played in the tournament before succumbing to an anxiety related injury.

In 1970 he persuaded his doctor to prescribe a few Bennies such that he emerged as the shining light in the greatest football team the world has ever seen. Despite frequent panic attacks he scored in another World Cup Final and set up two others, one of them arguably the greatest goal of all time until our second against Swindon.

Ronaldo? Fucking Ronaldo.

I agree with you that Pele is the greatest (I don't put the gap to Maradona anywhere near as large as you do though). However you have to acknowledge that Pele, at international level, was nearly always surrounded by players good enough to be considered as greats in their own right. Something CR has never had at international level (nor did Maradona for that matter).

 

[Pinchy]

However you have to acknowledge that Pele, at international level, was nearly always surrounded by players good enough to be considered as greats in their own right.

Absolutely. Didi and Garrincha in 1958 to name but two. In 1970 a never-equalled galaxy of talent: Rivelino, Jairzinho, Tostão, Gérson, Clodoaldo and Carlos Alberto. But Pele stood out even amongst that array of stars. In my view, that enhances, rather than diminishes, his greatness.

 

[Blade for Sale]

Absolutely. Didi and Garrincha in 1958 to name but two. In 1970 a never-equalled galaxy of talent: Rivelino, Jairzinho, Tostão, Gérson, Clodoaldo and Carlos Alberto. But Pele stood out even amongst that array of stars. In my view, that enhances, rather than diminishes, his greatness.

Easier, in my view, to stand out from the shoulders of giants than the shakier foundations of Argentina's WC 86 squad and the current Portugal side. Not, I hasten to add, that this diminishes in any way Pele's undoubted greatness.

 

[coaxingstar71]

When aged 16 young Edson played his first international. A no-pressure fixture against Argentina. He scored.

At the age of 17, despite shaking from head to toe, he scored a hat-trick in a World Cup Semi-Final. His nerves went in the Final and he only managed a couple.

He managed to win another World Cup four years later, scoring one and making another in the only game he played in the tournament before succumbing to an anxiety related injury.

In 1970 he persuaded his doctor to prescribe a few Bennies such that he emerged as the shining light in the greatest football team the world has ever seen. Despite frequent panic attacks he scored in another World Cup Final and set up two others, one of them arguably the greatest goal of all time until our second against Swindon.

Ronaldo? Fucking Ronaldo.

Liked just for the Swindon comment.

 

[coaxingstar71]

On the subject of best players of all time, I think it's very difficult to compare different players in different eras combined with what position they played and who they played with.

Obviously Pele was one of the all-time greats for his record in World Cups alone. However there's definitely a case for other players, Maradona for example, who steered a distinctly average Argentina side to victory in 1986.

In terms of international goals ratio, you'd struggle to find a better record than Germany's Gerd Muller with 72 goals in just 68 appearances including 14 in 13 World Cup finals games including the winner in the 1974 final.

Going back to free-kicks, David Beckham was pretty decent at them. I've not seen a better one, live, than the one Christian Eriksen scored at the Kop end.

 

[Silent Blade]

Going back to free-kicks, David Beckham was pretty decent at them. I've not seen a better one, live, than the one Christian Eriksen scored at the Kop end.

Not being biased, Woody was better than Beckham at dead balls

 

[coaxingstar71]

Not being biased, Woody was better than Beckham at dead balls

And probably most of the players already mentioned. Other than clips, I never had the pleasure unfortunately

 

[BusheyBlade]

I don’t disagree with that but just for a bit of balance, Messi was stifled against Iceland whereas Ronaldo had a lot more space against Spain and I say this clearly in the Pro Ronaldo side of the debate.

You're right, he was stifled. Having said that, we can't always expect opposition teams to give Messi and Ronaldo all the time and space they want on the ball. At times it's up to them to try something different. Admittedly I don't watch much European football but every time I've seen Messi play for Argentina he's been very ordinary and end up sulking like the mardy tw@t everyone says Ronaldo is. I suspect he doesn't enjoy the limelight in the way Ronaldo does and his Barcelona teammates are seemingly far better than the Argentina ones.

 

[coaxingstar71]

On the subject of best players of all time, I think it's very difficult to compare different players in different eras combined with what position they played and who they played with.

Obviously Pele was one of the all-time greats for his record in World Cups alone. However there's definitely a case for other players, Maradona for example, who steered a distinctly average Argentina side to victory in 1986.

In terms of international goals ratio, you'd struggle to find a better record than Germany's Gerd Muller with 72 goals in just 68 appearances including 14 in 13 World Cup finals games including the winner in the 1974 final.

Going back to free-kicks, David Beckham was pretty decent at them. I've not seen a better one, live, than the one Christian Eriksen scored at the Kop end.

Got my numbers mixed, Mullers record is actually better with 68 in 62 internationals.

 

[wizadry]

You're right, he was stifled. Having said that, we can't always expect opposition teams to give Messi and Ronaldo all the time and space they want on the ball. At times it's up to them to try something different. Admittedly I don't watch much European football but every time I've seen Messi play for Argentina he's been very ordinary and end up sulking like the mardy tw@t everyone says Ronaldo is. I suspect he doesn't enjoy the limelight in the way Ronaldo does and his Barcelona teammates are seemingly far better than the Argentina ones.

Messi was coming very deep just to get on the ball, he immediately had 2 or 3 players round him because of how Iceland set up. Spain went with a lot more attacking intent hence the space for Ronny. Let’s see how they do in the up and coming games if the roles are reversed. I agree Messi sulked and that didn’t help him but he never stopped wanting the ball, it just wasn’t his day, he’ll be back. Ronny will continue to carry Portugal through tournaments.

 

[1973Blade]

No matter how Ronaldo is perceived, he'll never be a waste of air compared to that mardy, one-trick showpony Naymar JR.

Coutinho is twice the player that septic, Wybourn cunt is.

I may have had a whoosh moment here, but why a septic Wybourn cunt?!

 

[Davalon]

Bottled it against Pearce at OT and possibly cost us a cup final

 

[Pierre's PC]

I may have had a whoosh moment here, but why a septic Wybourn cunt?!

It was the worst kind of cunt I could think of.

 

[Pinchy]

Got my numbers mixed, Mullers record is actually better with 68 in 62 internationals.

If you're looking for a great 'big game' player then both Pele and Muller dwarf Ronaldo, as does the imperious Franz Beckenbauer.

 

[I should coco]

If you're looking for a great 'big game' player then both Pele and Muller dwarf Ronaldo, as does the imperious Franz Beckenbauer.

What about that American dentist that shot the old lion?

Oh, I see, not that sort of 'big game'..........

 

[Pinchy]

What about that American dentist that shot the old lion?

Oh, I see, not that sort of 'big game'..........

I have never wished harm on any human [Thatcher wasn't human] but that twat ought to have all his teeth extracted, without anaesthetic, by a lion.

 

[I should coco]

[Thatcher wasn't human]

Being as how it's a while since I've heard it, I'll repost Don Valley and the Rotherhides' massive global smash hit:

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Yes, in the three WC finals Pele played in, he bottled it. Nerves of jelly to score just 77 goals in the WC.

Not a patch on the pouting Portuguese peacock.

I never said anything about Pele.

And Pele only ever scored 12 World Cup goals.

 

[I should coco]

And Pele only ever scored 12 World Cup goals.

You are correct, but in the 'Finals'.

He also scored 6 goals in the qualifiers for 1970. Prior to this brazil never needed to qualify as they kept winning the bloody thing.

 

[Pinchy]

You are correct, but in the 'Finals'.

He also scored 6 goals in the qualifiers for 1970. Prior to this brazil never needed to qualify as they kept winning the bloody thing.

Awkward concept, this reality.