Which league?
What age were you when Ronaldo and Ronaldinho were playing? You said before that you barely remember Munsterās first Heineken Cup win
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I clearly remember munsters Heineken cup win I was at it. I vaguely remember the 02 final. Iād remember the 2002 World Cup a little World Cup win. I doubt many on here saw more of ronaldinhos career than me.
Now can you produce any evidence that ronaldo or Ronaldinho changed the game like messi and Ronaldo did?
, Spanish giants Barcelona came knocking and Ronaldo played for the Catalans in the 96-97 season where he scored 47 goals in 49 games and also became the youngest player to ever win the FIFA world player of the year award, a record that stands to date.
Lionel Messi is only 22 years of age, scored 47 goals in 53 games in the past season and looks like the front runner to another fifa world player of the year. Its funny how people struggle to find superlatives to describe his achievements. As if this hasnāt been done before. At the age of 21, Ronaldo had already won a world cup, 2 fifa world player of the year awards and if he had been given those four extra games, only God knows how many more records he would have broken.
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Whatever about the two lads changing āthe gameā (what does this even mean, the game is constantly changing, it changed numerous times during the time of R9 anyway), R9 had to entirely change his own game when his knee was wrecked and he also had to contend with the after effects of his āattackā in the 98 World Cup.
The fact that R9 had to entirely change his own game, and still came back as one of the best players on the planet (Player of the 2002 World Cup and World Player of the Year) is an even more impressive gauge youād feel.
There was definitely more joy to ronaldinhos game but it was because he was afforded a lot more space than others. That iconic counter attacking goal v Chelsea he set up and burying one v ac Milan will always stand out but he never contended with the wall messi faced. No other player did.
Maradona laughs at you.
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Yawn
Ronaldo isnt maradona.
Messi and Ronaldo have completely changed their games. They started out as wingers. Messi turned into a striker and all around attacker before ending up as a playmaker.
Ronaldinho really only had those three or four seasons from 02 to 06 before he flopped. He never really reinvented himself.
Tough night?
Maradona had to face defenders who could kick you up in the air
Messi never had to deal with the defender Maradona did. Back then you could go through the back of a player and you āmightā get a yellow card.
If a lad looks at Messi he falls over.
Actually R9 had to deal with that too to an extent as it was still in the game in the mid to late 90s.
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For a lot of them thatās all they could do.
Lads on here are going down if he didnāt drink heād have played county route.
Who was the more gifted?
- R9
- R7
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Maradona laughs at you from the grave once more.
Defending is more co-ordinated now, but I would say the overall calibre of defender in the nineties and noughties was a fair bit higher.
Much more of a system based game mainly to messi and ronaldo. Emphasis more on possession so defending has changed.
I think there are more goals scored in knockout stages of UCL and major tournaments these days, but that could as much due to rule changrs and interpretations.
One thing today though, a lot if the top fullbacks canāt defend and many of the the top centrebacks are there as much for their ball playing ability.
Teams can look fantastically solid when their pressing game is going well, but beat the press and those defenses seem to get their arses opened awful quickly. Cancelo and Stones at City two cases in point.
The likes of Redondo in midfield would be top 5 in the world today, same with Cannavaro and Nesta.
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Anyone who doesnt think defending was coordinated in the 90ās never saw the Arsenal back 4.
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