Ron the man

One thing that’s impressed me more than Cristiano Ronaldo’s two goals in Real Madrid’s 5-2 win over FC Zuirch in the Champions League game mid-week was the way that the Portuguese handled him since joining the Spanish giants.

There has been no women-related scandal, no controversy and no unnecessary chatter about Manchester United. The cockiness in his play isn’t as exaggerated as it was at Old Trafford; he has been humble in his interactions, despite being the most expensive player in the world.

What has affected this change? Is it the realisation of his childhood dream of playing for Real Madrid? Or has Ronaldo matured? Has the show-pony who suffered from ‘I-am-the-best-in-the-world-and-I-can-do-1000-stepovers-to-prove-it’ syndrome realised personal glory is secondary?

What ever it might be, it was nice to hear genuine praise for Ronaldo from Real Madrid captain Raul few weeks after Ronaldo settled in Madrid.

“Cristiano is super-nice, normal and very hardworking. He is integrated. He seems very happy. In the media it seems like everything he does and says, every gesture, has a lot of meaning but he is much more normal than people think,” said Raul during a media interaction.

Ronaldo was often vilified in England. He almost always turned up top in various ‘most-hated footballer’ polls. But to his credit, Ronaldo took it all on the chin and even after enjoying the last laugh with the mind-boggling transfer move out of England, never spoke scathingly or ill of his previous employers or the fans who booed him incessantly. Ronaldo has never been a personal favourite, but I’ve always acknowledged his immense talent.

But now, I feel hopeful. Hopeful that someday Ronaldo will not only be remembered for the tricks he could do but also loved for legend he is capable of being. That entails choosing humility over pompousness, being the perfect team man, not a one-man show, and always, always being guided by the passion and love for the game. We love Maradona so much because he loved football so much.

Maybe, Real Madrid is the club where Ronaldo will make that transition, where he will achieve greatness which he deserves and love he so longs.