Ronaldo-I'm still number 1

[Dunny]

Cristiano Ronaldo reckons he will remain the world's best player regardless of what happens in the UEFA Champions League final.
Wednesday's showpiece in Rome has been billed as a battle between Ronaldo and Barcelona star Lionel Messi to decide who is the world's number one footballer.
Ronaldo became the first Manchester United player to be crowned World Player of the Year for 2008 and the first since George Best 40 years ago to be named European Footballer of the Year.
Messi, 21, was runner-up for both awards and has been tipped to prise those titles away from Ronaldo after a fine season with the Spanish champions.
Yet despite failing to hit the heights of last season, Ronaldo is confident he will still be recognised as the world's best.
Confidence

Some may see that as arrogance but the 24-year-old Portuguese forward reckons it is that self-belief that has enabled him to emerge as an Old Trafford great.
"Every time I play football I go out on to the field believing that I am the best," he told the Sunday Mirror.
"And that is the same whether I am training or playing in the Champions League Final.
"For me, you have to have that confidence at all times. That's what makes me the player I am.
"It made me proud to be recognised as the best. I always believed I was the best, but it was an honour to become the official number one - and I still think I am at the top.
"Sometimes it is clear that if it is a close fight between two players for the European or world player of the year then winning the Champions League can decide the outcome.
"I won it last year because Manchester United won the Champions League and the Premier League, but I also won it because I scored 42 goals myself.

Honour

"It made me very happy. It was a big honour for me personally but also for Manchester."
While Ronaldo and Messi's personal battle will provide an extra dimension to Wednesday's clash, Ronaldo believes it will have no bearing on whether United retain their European crown or the Champions League trophy heads back to the Nou Camp after a three-year absence.
"This game we play is about the team, not individuals," he added. "This final is not about me and Messi. It is between Manchester United and Barcelona.
"Both are winners of their national titles and I predict that it will be a spectacular duel."

[Lazie]

Seeing that Messi scored more goals in his league than Ronaldo (5) and more goals in the Champions League than Ronaldo (4) and more assist than Ronaldo (3) plus unless Ronaldo score 5 in the finals, Messi is going to score the most goals in the CL .... the only way Ronaldo can rescue his WPY title is to win the CL.

[Assasin]

This was an off year for Ronaldo as he took a while to hit top form after comin back from his injury.

[Peter R]

Last year when he scored 42 (?) in all competitions I predicted he would not repeat nor better that figure this year (injury or no injury). I don't see him beating that total in future either but he is young and has many years to make my prediction wrong.

I think the title will go to Messi this year regardless of who wins the CL.

[Assasin]

yes Messi deserves it.

Ronaldo may not get 42 again but he could have scored more if as he only got back to 100% after christmas.

[Peter R]

I see more of Ronaldo than Messi just because of viewing patterns and what Sportsmax and Setanta televise....Ronaldo scores with many weapons; set play, head, shooting...Messi doesn't strike me as having as many weapons in his scoring arsenal but... as a poster on site I visited pointed out, there were three men marking/around Messi when he made the pass to Iniesta who then scored v. Chelsea.

He is a real threat as he can weave some magic with the ball not even Ronaldo can do as he, Ronaldo, is more about fancy footwork when it comes to dribbling rather than actually doing something with the ball like Messi does.

Anyway, the powers that be always like to mix it up...Ronaldo would really have to have an out of this world year to retain the title. That is probably the biggest thing why he won't retain it. But we shall see...