Ronaldo

[Village Idiot]

Just went and watched my old VHS tape with all the goals he scored for us. Seeing a prime Guardiola assisting him over and over

 

And yes, he scored his fair share of goals from outside the box. He scored all kind of goals, that's what was silly about him. Maybe not headers, though.

[Disco]

Shearer 409 goals in 796 appearances (including internationals) 0.51 goals per game

Ronaldo 420 goals in 620 appearances (including internationals) 0.67 goals per game

 

 

Batistuta 397 goals in 550 appearances (including international & excluding his time in Qatar) 0.72 goals per game

Van Basten 277 in 370 appearances (including international) 0.74 goals per game

Shevchenko is pretty much 1 in 2.

[midds]

Fabulous, fabulous player. Would have been one of the legends of the game had he not suffered as much with injury. Literally had everything you'd ever want in a forward.

 

Billytray's list a few posts up in spot on too.

[Mr. Snrub]

I've never seen a player being able to dribble with the ball at such pace.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00243/messi-getty_243591t.jpg

 

[Thespence]

TOP TIER:Pele,Best,Maradona,Charlton,Puskas,Di Stefano,Beckenbauer,Garrincha,Cruyff,Eusebio,Banks

ALMOST TOP TIER:Zidane,Ronaldo,Van Basten,Platini,Rivelino,Zico,Moore,Rossi,Muller

 

THEN:Greaves,Boniek,Batistuta,Law,Baggio,Seeler,Matthaus,Figo,Romario,Rummenigge.

 

Shearer would get into my next section down,with the likes of Kempes.I've seen most of these on tape but Van Basten I've seen live.

 

Kenny D is good enough to be in the top tier.

[QBG]

Shearer 409 goals in 796 appearances (including internationals) 0.51 goals per game

Ronaldo 420 goals in 620 appearances (including internationals) 0.67 goals per game

 

So yes, Ronaldo's strike rate is better, but you have to take into account that a lot of those goals came playing for a top side in the Brazilian league and that Ronaldo played in 97 international games in comparison to Shearer's 63. Both suffered serious knee injuries in the mid-late nineties and lost a yard of pace meaning that they had to adapt their game and both pulled it off pretty damn well.  There is no basis to say that Shearer wouldn't have just as well playing in the teams that Ronaldo did. Shearer and Ronaldo in their youth were both very similar players, people seem to forget that whilst at Southampton, Blackburn and in his first season at Newcastle Shearer actually had pace, and was a scarily good player because of it.

 

The two players finishing abilities are very comparable, both were deadly in front of goal but Ronaldo had the extra touch of flair about how he did it, that does not make him a better finisher than Shearer by any means, just different styles. Ronaldo had more flair about his play but Shearer was better in the air. Therefore to call Ronaldo several levels above Shearer as a finisher as a footballer is false in my eyes, especially when you take into account Shearer's magnificent ability to cross a ball and hit one hell of a free kick. As Disco says Shearer's reputation on the worldwide stage suffers from the fact he never played abroad, or to Manchester United, he'd be spoken of as one of the world's greatest if he had there is no doubt in my mind.

 

Ronaldo's contribution to world football is one of the greatest ever and will never be forgotten, however, Shearer's longevity and goalscoring ability in a team that towards the end of his career was lagging in mid table, should never be undermined. The two are my favourite strikers of all time and I think tit for tat arguments about who was better are pointless.

 

They were nothing alike.

 

Even though Shearer had pace in his younger days, it was nothing compared to the blistering pace that Ronaldo possessed. I've never seen a player being able to dribble with the ball at such pace.

 

I've seen clips of Shearer doing exactly the same thing for Blackburn and scoring, maybe Ronaldo might have been quicker, but did Shearer have the ability to do the same? Yes.

 

Did Shearer ever get the ball from the half way line, dribble past 6 people and then bury it? Did he s****.

 

Did Ronaldo ever hit a ball into the top corner from miles out like Shearer did against Chelsea? The point of my post was more a comparison of the twos phenomenal talents, I don't really care about who was better, everyone is entitled to their opinion. I'm certainly not arsed or petty enough to ring my Dad to dig out the 92/93 goals video where Shearer dribbles half the length of the field and scores. Shearer would get the edge in my eyes because he was my hero growing up, but I don't care if other people disagree. I just find it false to call Ronaldo several levels above or in a different league to Shearer. Especially since Shearer in his prime was being courted by Man U and clubs across Europe at around the same time Ronaldo was signing for Inter Milan.

 

Aye, he did actually.

 

Cool. Like I said, I really don't care enough to get into a heated debate, both their abilities followed similar, both were astounding young players, suffered serious injuries and lost a step over time but managed to adapt their game to continue to score on a regular basis. Only difference for me is that Ronaldo played for some of the best teams in Europe and one of the best international teams of his day. Whereas Shearer played for a England side that was pretty average and a Newcastle side that had brief spells at the top but were largely midtable.

[Vinny Green Balls]

Ronaldo will be considered a legend, even with his injuries.  He still managed to score 15 goals at the World Cup. 

[QBG]

Shearer 409 goals in 796 appearances (including internationals) 0.51 goals per game

Ronaldo 420 goals in 620 appearances (including internationals) 0.67 goals per game

 

 

Batistuta 397 goals in 550 appearances (including international & excluding his time in Qatar) 0.72 goals per game

Van Basten 277 in 370 appearances (including international) 0.74 goals per game

Shevchenko is pretty much 1 in 2.

 

That Batistuta one is pretty phenomenal considering he spent most of his career at Fiorentina.

[Vinny Green Balls]

Dalglish was good enough to be in the second tier imo.  I might consider your Garrincha or Puskas for the very top, but I still firmly believe that Maradona, Pele and Cruyff are significantly ahead of everyone else.  That said, I can see the reasoning in putting Beckenbauer and Eusebio in the very top tier. 

 

None of you must have seen Cubillas.  The motherfucker was incredible, and made Peru a very dangerous side, albeit briefly.  Some of his free kicks were the most ridiculous you could imagine.  He would bend the ball around the wall with the outside of his foot, making him absolutely lethal with his right foot form the left side.  He has 3 or 4 goals which are considered in the top 50 greatest in World Cup history. 

[Flip]

TOP TIER:Pele,Best,Maradona,Charlton,Puskas,Di Stefano,Beckenbauer,Garrincha,Cruyff,Eusebio,Banks

ALMOST TOP TIER:Zidane,Ronaldo,Van Basten,Platini,Rivelino,Zico,Moore,Rossi,Muller

 

THEN:Greaves,Boniek,Batistuta,Law,Baggio,Seeler,Matthaus,Figo,Romario,Rummenigge.

 

Shearer would get into my next section down,with the likes of Kempes.I've seen most of these on tape but Van Basten I've seen live.

 

Kenny D is good enough to be in the top tier.

 

Oh ffs!

 

Kenny Dalglish top tier but Romario in the then section.

Funny that Banks is in the top tier but not the Black Panther.

If Figo is in the then section then Rivaldo should also be there.

 

[alexf]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38086000/jpg/_38086641_ronaldo1997_emp300x200.jpg

 

 

I thought it was nice how when shearer was retiring,i can't remember where the interview was from, but he was asked if there was anyone he wished he'd played with and he said Ronaldo was the one player he would have loved to have played alongside.

[Incognito]

Dalglish was good enough to be in the second tier imo.  I might consider your Garrincha or Puskas for the very top, but I still firmly believe that Maradona, Pele and Cruyff are significantly ahead of everyone else.  That said, I can see the reasoning in putting Beckenbauer and Eusebio in the very top tier. 

 

None of you must have seen Cubillas.  The motherfucker was incredible, and made Peru a very dangerous side, albeit briefly.  Some of his free kicks were the most ridiculous you could imagine.  He would bend the ball around the wall with the outside of his foot, making him absolutely lethal with his right foot form the left side.  He has 3 or 4 goals which are considered in the top 50 greatest in World Cup history. 

 

Dalglish was very,very ordinary at International level tbh,and it's here he falls down despite playing in 3 World Cups.I remember Cubillas from 78,a very good player though I'm told he was better in 70.On that basis,you'd have to put Lato in or even Deyna.Or even Keegan.

[TRon]

I've never seen a player being able to dribble with the ball at such pace.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00243/messi-getty_243591t.jpg

 

 

Messi just needs to have a good world cup and then people will give him those sort of accolades. Even Ronaldo wasn't considered proven until he'd done it on the biggest stage of all.

[QBG]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38086000/jpg/_38086641_ronaldo1997_emp300x200.jpg

 

 

I thought it was nice how when shearer was retiring,i can't remember where the interview was from, but he was asked if there was anyone he wished he'd played with and he said Ronaldo was the one player he would have loved to have played alongside.

 

That would have been a dream partnership

[Vinny Green Balls]

I liked Dalglish as a player, but the more I think about it, the more uncomfortable I feel putting him in the same sentence with the likes of Rivelino.  Great player, but not quite in the same league.

[Thespence]

Dalglish was good enough to be in the second tier imo.  I might consider your Garrincha or Puskas for the very top, but I still firmly believe that Maradona, Pele and Cruyff are significantly ahead of everyone else.  That said, I can see the reasoning in putting Beckenbauer and Eusebio in the very top tier. 

 

None of you must have seen Cubillas.  The motherfucker was incredible, and made Peru a very dangerous side, albeit briefly.  Some of his free kicks were the most ridiculous you could imagine.  He would bend the ball around the wall with the outside of his foot, making him absolutely lethal with his right foot form the left side.  He has 3 or 4 goals which are considered in the top 50 greatest in World Cup history. 

 

Dalglish was very,very ordinary at International level tbh,and it's here he falls down despite playing in 3 World Cups.I remember Cubillas from 78,a very good player though I'm told he was better in 70.On that basis,you'd have to put Lato in or even Deyna.Or even Keegan.

 

Scored 30 goals for jocks which is good record for Scotland he shared the record with one of the greatest strikers in British football Dennis Law. Dalglish was the key man for a Liverpool team that bossed Europe.

[Incognito]

TOP TIER:Pele,Best,Maradona,Charlton,Puskas,Di Stefano,Beckenbauer,Garrincha,Cruyff,Eusebio,Banks

ALMOST TOP TIER:Zidane,Ronaldo,Van Basten,Platini,Rivelino,Zico,Moore,Rossi,Muller

 

THEN:Greaves,Boniek,Batistuta,Law,Baggio,Seeler,Matthaus,Figo,Romario,Rummenigge.

 

Shearer would get into my next section down,with the likes of Kempes.I've seen most of these on tape but Van Basten I've seen live.

 

Kenny D is good enough to be in the top tier.

 

Oh ffs!

 

Kenny Dalglish top tier but Romario in the then section.

Funny that Banks is in the top tier but not the Black Panther.

If Figo is in the then section then Rivaldo should also be there.

 

 

I agree with Rivaldo,but I don't have Dalglish in there at all????As for Yashin,a very good keeper but not in the same class as Banks.I rate him on a par with Schmeichel,Zoff and Shilton.

[Ridman]

TOP TIER:Pele,Best,Maradona,Charlton,Puskas,Di Stefano,Beckenbauer,Garrincha,Cruyff,Eusebio,Banks

ALMOST TOP TIER:Zidane,Ronaldo,Van Basten,Platini,Rivelino,Zico,Moore,Rossi,Muller

 

THEN:Greaves,Boniek,Batistuta,Law,Baggio,Seeler,Matthaus,Figo,Romario,Rummenigge.

 

Shearer would get into my next section down,with the likes of Kempes.I've seen most of these on tape but Van Basten I've seen live.

 

Kenny D is good enough to be in the top tier.

 

Shoutout to Kazimierz Deyna, Grzegorz Lato and Włodzimierz Lubański. Because of the communism regime Polish players weren´t allowed to move abroad until they reached the age of 30 so none of our players got the recognition they truly deserved.

 

Deyna and Lato basically carried a very average side to two world cup bronze medals in 74 and 82 (Lato even managing to pick up the golden boot in 74), only a 1-0 loss in very dubious circumstances against the home team Germany in 74 prevented them from reaching the finals.

Deyna was a central midfielder and Lato a winger, still their goal scoring record was phenomenal. Deyna scoring 41 in 97 and Lato 45 in 100 for the national side.

[Incognito]

TOP TIER:Pele,Best,Maradona,Charlton,Puskas,Di Stefano,Beckenbauer,Garrincha,Cruyff,Eusebio,Banks

ALMOST TOP TIER:Zidane,Ronaldo,Van Basten,Platini,Rivelino,Zico,Moore,Rossi,Muller

 

THEN:Greaves,Boniek,Batistuta,Law,Baggio,Seeler,Matthaus,Figo,Romario,Rummenigge.

 

Shearer would get into my next section down,with the likes of Kempes.I've seen most of these on tape but Van Basten I've seen live.

 

Kenny D is good enough to be in the top tier.

 

Shoutout to Kazimierz Deyna, Grzegorz Lato and Włodzimierz Lubański. Because of the communism regime Polish players weren´t allowed to move abroad until they reached the age of 30 so none of our players got the recognition they truly deserved.

 

Deyna and Lato basically carried a very average side to two world cup bronze medals in 74 and 82 (Lato even managing to pick up the golden boot in 74), only a 1-0 loss in very dubious circumstances against the home team Germany in 74 prevented them from reaching the finals.

Deyna was a central midfielder and Lato a winger, still their goal scoring record was phenomenal. Deyna scoring 41 in 97 and Lato 45 in 100 for the national side.

 

The Polish teams from74-82 were excellent sides,and indeed I mention Lato and Kazzi Deyna earlier.Szarmach in 82 was a very good finisher also.

[Village Idiot]

Enzo Francescoli, El Príncipe. One of my favorite midfielders growing up. Pretty much carried Uruguay on the 80s to a few Copa America.

 

Sócrates from Brazil, also one of my favorite midfielders of all time.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Ronaldo the footballer was a far better footballer than Shearer but Ronaldo the centre-forward or striker or whatever you want to call it certainly wasn't. For me Shearer was the ultimate in that role and was better than Ronaldo, although not by huge margins. I'd say Batistuta was a better centre-forward than Ronaldo too. People really underestimate Shearer. If you wanted the perfect centre-forward Shearer would tick all boxes or get a 10 out of 10 for each attribute other than dribbling or pace which in his pomp by the way he had a fair bit of. Ronaldo had a certain finesse and absolute amazing balance combined with pace and skill which he combined together to amazing effect hence the outrageous moments in his play or game. Shearer didn't have that but he had amazing technique, immense physical strength only bettered by his mental strength, had a really good footballing brain and amazing awareness and positional sense. Take a look through his goals, not just for Newcastle but England, Blackburn and Southampton. He could cross the ball better than anyone and there was no-one better at leading the line either with his back to goal or facing the opposition defence. He was also an inspirational figurehead for his team-mates. Take away the honours, World Cups etc. and Ronaldo wouldn't be rated as highly as he rightly is today and forever will be just like Giggs will never be rated as highly as in the game as he is rated in OUR game, the English game. He for me though is the best winger in the world of the last 20 years, easily. Shearer and Ronaldo are of course quite different players and if we are to judge them as simply footballers, Ronaldo is a level above Shearer but as a centre-forward or striker, Shearer was on another level not just to Ronaldo but any other striker or centre-forward if his hero. If Torres is worth all that money and Carroll you'd need to break the world transfer record and break into maybe the 100m mark for Shearer today, and indeed a Ronaldo.

[Tooj]

Ronaldo the footballer was a far better footballer than Shearer but Ronaldo the centre-forward or striker or whatever you want to call it certainly wasn't. For me Shearer was the ultimate in that role and was better than Ronaldo, although not by huge margins. I'd say Batistuta was a better centre-forward than Ronaldo too. People really underestimate Shearer. If you wanted the perfect centre-forward Shearer would tick all boxes or get a 10 out of 10 for each attribute other than dribbling or pace which in his pomp by the way he had a fair bit of. Ronaldo had a certain finesse and absolute amazing balance combined with pace and skill which he combined together to amazing effect hence the outrageous moments in his play or game. Shearer didn't have that but he had amazing technique, immense physical strength only bettered by his mental strength, had a really good footballing brain and amazing awareness and positional sense. Take a look through his goals, not just for Newcastle but England, Blackburn and Southampton. He could cross the ball better than anyone and there was no-one better at leading the line either with his back to goal or facing the opposition defence. He was also an inspirational figurehead for his team-mates. Take away the honours, World Cups etc. and Ronaldo wouldn't be rated as highly as he rightly is today and forever will be just like Giggs will never be rated as highly as in the game as he is rated in OUR game, the English game. He for me though is the best winger of the last 20 years, easily. Shearer and Ronaldo are of course quite different players and if we are to judge them as footballers, Ronaldo is a level above Shearer but as centre-forward's or strikers, Shearer was on another level.

 

He wasn't at all.

[Disco]

Enzo Francescoli, El Príncipe. One of my favorite midfielders growing up. Pretty much carried Uruguay on the 80s to a few Copa America.

 

Sócrates from Brazil, also one of my favorite midfielders of all time.

 

You know you're good when Zizou worships you.

[Flip]

Ronaldo the footballer was a far better footballer than Shearer but Ronaldo the centre-forward or striker or whatever you want to call it certainly wasn't. For me Shearer was the ultimate in that role and was better than Ronaldo, although not by huge margins. I'd say Batistuta was a better centre-forward than Ronaldo too. People really underestimate Shearer. If you wanted the perfect centre-forward Shearer would tick all boxes or get a 10 out of 10 for each attribute other than dribbling or pace which in his pomp by the way he had a fair bit of. Ronaldo had a certain finesse and absolute amazing balance combined with pace and skill which he combined together to amazing effect hence the outrageous moments in his play or game. Shearer didn't have that but he had amazing technique, immense physical strength only bettered by his mental strength, had a really good footballing brain and amazing awareness and positional sense. Take a look through his goals, not just for Newcastle but England, Blackburn and Southampton. He could cross the ball better than anyone and there was no-one better at leading the line either with his back to goal or facing the opposition defence. He was also an inspirational figurehead for his team-mates. Take away the honours, World Cups etc. and Ronaldo wouldn't be rated as highly as he rightly is today and forever will be just like Giggs will never be rated as highly as in the game as he is rated in OUR game, the English game. He for me though is the best winger in the world of the last 20 years, easily. Shearer and Ronaldo are of course quite different players and if we are to judge them as simply footballers, Ronaldo is a level above Shearer but as a centre-forward or striker, Shearer was on another level not just to Ronaldo but any other striker or centre-forward if his hero. If Torres is worth all that money and Carroll you'd need to break the world transfer record and break into maybe the 100m mark for Shearer today, and indeed a Ronaldo.

 

That was a really stupid post tbh. Take way the honours from a footballer and you have nothing. It would be pointless to play for no honour.

Shearer was a top class forward and striker or whatever you call it.

 

But you ask a thousand people who'd they rather build a team around and it would be Ronaldo. He was an immense player with huge potential. And strikers are rated on the amount of goals and their threat. Ronaldo was the better goalscorer the better player and therefore the better striker.

 

It the end Ronaldo won more, scored more and above all at his prime he was unstoppable.

 

A true legend has stopped playing, but we have other players forming into true greats in Messi and dare I say Cristiano Ronaldo.

[Flip]

Enzo Francescoli, El Príncipe. One of my favorite midfielders growing up. Pretty much carried Uruguay on the 80s to a few Copa America.

 

Sócrates from Brazil, also one of my favorite midfielders of all time.

 

Socrates was a great player but there has been many Brazilians who were better in their prime. One of my favorite Brazilian player is Falcao. What a true great for Roma he was.