Today is a pretty special day in the world of football and indeed the world as we celebrate the birthday of one the sport’s all-time greats and one of the most influential personalities of the modern age: Cristiano Ronaldo.
This is my sort of tribute to him and why he means so much to me. This isn’t going to be all about his accolades, stats and trophies although those are incredible.
But it’s more about why he became my hero and a true inspiration to me in my life.
To begin, I know that he can be quite the divisive player and character. Ronaldo is quite arrogant, egotistical, haughty and is quite self-centred but I believe these were all necessary to become the player and person he is today.
When he said that he believes he is the most complete footballer ever the other day, I think that created more division towards Cristiano.
But I don’t care about that. And tbh, I don't think he does either. Some people may say that a king does not need to state he is king and all that but for me, there’s nothing wrong with saying you believe something about yourself even if it's as high-profile as saying I'm the best player of all time.
This just shows how much he truly believes in himself to think and then say something that could be seen as arrogant.
Is he wrong though? Is he not the most complete footballer ever? He can score with his right-foot, with his left. He can score headers, with 40-yard screamers. He can flick it in with quick feet, he can dribble past three players and place it in the bottom corner. He is a poacher, can score from the spot and might just score one of the most iconic free-kicks you’ll ever see.
Ronaldo is also the most clutch player I’ve ever seen considering the amount of important goals he’s scored for club and country in difficult moments.
And on top of it all, he’s won everything.
But it's not those things nor the fact that he played for United that's made me love and admire him over the years. The part of him that's really inspired me is his mindset.
CR7 constantly talks about hard work, dedication, sacrifice and all that and he more than lives up to it when looking at who he has become. From where he was to where he is now, only that relentless drive, dedication and discipline could've brought him here.
He is no doubt a talented footballer but I've seen others who are more talented and natural when playing the game.
Neymar (who celebrates his 33rd birthday today), Eden Hazard, those from the past like Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldinho, R9, Maradona and Pele - not that I saw these last two play but from what I hear, they were pretty amazing - were all players whom I believe look more natural on a football pitch.
And then of course, there is the great rival, Lionel Messi.
For me, Messi is the greatest pure footballer I've ever seen. I've never seen a player do all that he's done with such ease and it all just flows in one motion like each part of himself knows exactly what he's about to do, and it just happens.
It's magic.
Messi is also naturally gifted. God picked him out and said that 'you are going to have the gift of football.' This is in no way discrediting him for all he's done nor am I saying that he didn't work hard but given his gift, I don't think he had to work as hard as some, least not Cristiano.
Why Ronaldo succeeded in terms of getting to goat status where many others didin't is because he gave it absolutely everything, everday, all the time, no days off. Regardless of how he felt or how games went, he would still do what needed to be done when it needed to be done.
There must have been days where he felt like utter crap and didn't want to get out of bed, or go to training, or say no to the gym today.
Yet he would go all the same.
To have a mindset like that, to have that drive that yesterday was yesterday and today is today so I need to go again no matter what is a skill mastered by a few.
Consistency. Dedication. Hard work. Drive. Discipline. That is pretty much Cristiano.
I've no doubt that whatever profession he persued, he would've been the same and tried to be the best.
When I look at Messi, I see a sort of Superman, a god, and he is a god of football.
With Ronaldo though, he is just a man, like Batman.
Despite not having super-strength, ability to fly or shoot heat vision out his eyes, Batman is still considered one of the greatest superheroes of all time.
Same with Cristiano.
I'm sorry to be saying the same thing again, but that mindset of his is why he's reached this level.
We all want that gift of Messi's to play football or a gift to do anything but that is handed down from the gods to just a select group of people. Most will never have it.
But what Ronaldo has with his strong mindset, that is something we can all have. We have brains, we have arms, legs, and mobility so what's the difference between him and us?
Mindset.
CR7 kind of reminds me of my favorite poem of all time: Equipment by Edgar Albert Guest.
It begins with:
"Figure it out for yourself my lad
you've all that the greatest of men had had.
Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes,
and a brain to use if you would be wise.
With this equipment they all began,
so start for the top and say
I can."
This drive is something that we can ALL be inspired by by Cristiano and that is why he's my hero.
The fact that he played for United (twice) makes things even better but while I love him as a footballer, as a man and someone who will do everything to be the best, I love him even more.
I am so proud that he played for us. What a privilege for one of the greatest of all time to play for us.
And btw, the 2008 version of Ronaldo was the best and most complete version of him or any footballer I've ever seen. I know he did more wonders at Madrid but that was more centred around goalscoring rather than overall gameplay.
But this is why he's the goat of football for me because he took being a talented footballer to the absolute extreme through sheer drive and hard work to a point where he is now considered one of the greatest to ever play the game, if not the greatest.
I've never known anyone to do something like that in any profession let alone football that has so many people compete in it around the world. Cristiano has managed to stay at the top of the world's game for two decades 💀.
Here he is still going strong at 40. Bro looks better now than he did 20 years ago! You reckon he has the one ring from Lord of the Rings to help make him look this young? 😅
I know that people may not like him as a player and character but one cannot question what he's done in and for the game. That deserves respect.
Without him, this sport we all love wouldn't have been the same.
I know he's coming towards the end of his career so while he's still playing, let's just enjoy it. Let's stop all this trash talk towards a player like him. Let's stop all the comparisons with Messi. The pair of them are the two greatest to ever do it. To have won everything and do it for two decades is absolutely ridiculous.
They won't be here much longer so let's just watch them and appreciate the greatest for as long as it lasts. When they retire, we really will miss them.
Happy birthday hero.
Background Image: Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice on second Man Utd debut against Newcastle | Image credit: Getty Images via Eurosport