Cristiano Ronaldo v David Beckham

[Shaggy]

In the braoder picture I think that Tevez and Rooney as a partnership isn't working.

Thank God for that.

I must say I spent most of the close-season debating this with people (mainly Syd ). I was convinced it wouldn't work and to my mind it hasn't, yet the received wisdom is that they're a great pair and have linked up "telepathically" .

As if.

I think the acid test is the biggest games - and Ferguson tends to leave Tevez out and go with Rooney on his own...yet another role that doesn't suit him.

I think, Ronaldo aside, they have one or two problems up front.

[dww]

Thank God for that.

I must say I spent most of the close-season debating this with people (mainly Syd ). I was convinced it wouldn't work and to my mind it hasn't, yet the received wisdom is that they're a great pair and have linked up "telepathically" .

As if.

I think the acid test is the biggest games - and Ferguson tends to leave Tevez out and go with Rooney on his own...yet another role that doesn't suit him.

I think, Ronaldo aside, they have one or two problems up front.

I think it would be churlish to dismiss the partnership long term but currently it is more cosmetic than effective. They do play lovely balls to one another at times but rarely do they put one another in close enough to goal.

I wonder if Fergie will persist with it next season. I think he might and that having two pacy wingers (Ronaldo plus one - maybe Nani) might allow them to push defenses back and make room for Rooney and Tevez. Certainly they will need to evolve the team to counter ourselves, Arsenal and Chelsea next season.

[ivan]

Somehow I dont think united will splash 30 million for Tevez, and I agree that he and rooney dont go along together. But I'm assured Tevez would be perfect partner for Nando.

[lfcruleus]

You missed the fact he is also very good in the air, worlds above Beckham at his peak, but very different players.

[dww]

You missed the fact he is also very good in the air, worlds above Beckham at his peak, but very different players.

I think thats the key here - the comparison died because other than when Ronaldo came and directly replaced Beckham in the United team there are very few real similarities in their styles of play. Ronaldo is more of a forward and has played left and right wing as well as as a central forward in the last few seasons. Beckham if he changed position went into central midfield.

Beckham has also just been talked about less in the UK press of late which pretty much stops the comparison coming up.

I think very peak Beckham had a quality that Ronaldo didn't in that from deep central midfield areas he could at times dictate play (admittedly in a long ballish sort of way). He was also a stronger tackler.

Other than in individual aspects of play the comparison can only really be done in terms of their importance to the teams they have played in. Both were vital for United at times but ultimately Beckham proved replaceable at United and Real.

[Nic83]

Now let me start of by the saying the usual, C Ronaldo is a soft scumbag bag, blah blah blah ............. but he's a world class footballer, end of.

But what I want to ask is when C Ronaldo just got here as a teenager all the media, pundits and fans were comparing him to Beckham in his prime and they said he had: "no end product", "a one trick pony", "can't use his left foot", "will never be good as Beckahm" etc. These people included people such as Hansen who picked on Ronaldo religiously every week.

Now it is quite clear that Ronaldo can do everything that Beckham can do - crosses, freekicks and passing - PLUS he can dribble, score goals, use his left or right foot effectively; the complete attacking footballer.

So three questions:

1. Why have the comparisons stopped? Media bias or hypocracy? Why do you think? Bit like the way people on here are all the time when they're proven wrong by mr Seriously though, noone likes to admit to being wrong so instead of eating humble pie they just pipe down.
2. When Beckham was in his prime was he even half the player that C Ronald is now? Totally different type of players. i don't see how anyone can compare them at all
3. Does this prove that it was a farce to compare a Beckham in his prime to a Figo is his prime seeing that Figo used to do what C Ronaldo is doing now? yes

Please don't come with the same old excuse of 'different type of player', because C Ronaldo IS Beckham's replacement. So what, you still can't compare 2 totally different players in a who's the better quality footballer sense. What you can do though is compare the impact they both have on games and I have to say it's quite close. Beckham may not look the business but he certainly did the business in terms of goals and fantastic assists

and a word on Cristiano Robaldo. All I can say is fair play to the guy. I always thought he was a good player but I never thought he'd be a great one due to 2 reasons:

1. His build

2. His taking too much out of the ball.

As for his build, I'm amazed at the way he has bulked up and now he just has to be taken seriously. In the past, He was too easy to push off the ball etc etc but now he's a menace in the physical department. Someone as big as him and running at you as fast as he does with the close control he has, well....shades of the other Ronaldo


As for part 2, fair play to the lad, he's sorted it out. And he's also grown up a lot mentally too.

Fantastic player and one of the worlds top 5 for me at the moment.

[Harv]

No comparison for me.

Beckham was a good player.....if he wasnt good looking and English he wouldnt be rated anywhere near as highly as he is.

Ronaldo is unstoppable on his day, Beckham never dominated games like Ronaldo does.

Wouldnt be surprised to see Ronaldo lead the scoring charts at the Euros in the summer