The world cup is a touchstone of greatness. You are not truly a football hero till you have had that moment, where you have decided the future of your team. That's what makes footballer true heroes. Cristiano Ronaldo, in that sense, is an enigma. The guy scores 30+ goals for his club side Real Madrid, but when it comes to Portugal he almost always chokes.
Playing in Spain, since 2009, Ronaldo has scored 177 goals. For Portugal, since 2003, he has scored 49. He has often been criticised for a lack of impact when he plays in his national colours. Is it the team around him that lets him down? Or is it down to lack of inspiration on a personal front?
After Portugal's 2-2 draw against United States, Ronaldo came out playing down his team's chances in Brazil.
"Maybe we're an average team, it would be a lie to say that we are a top team. We have a very limited team and we are not at the best level. This does not enable you to beat top teams. I'm not a hypocrite, I never thought we could win the tournament."
As a team mate, this is the last thing you want your captain to be saying. Predictably, there are reports now saying that Portugal team is in disarray. Too often have they been accused of carrying Ronaldo, rather than it being the other way round. A true legend should inspire those around him to greater heights, but for CR7 it seems that he ends up playing at the mediocrity that surrounds him.
While Messi, arguably Cristiano's biggest competitor, hasn't set the world cup on fire, he has gotten on the score sheet and has carried Argentina to the next round. They sit pretty on top in group F with Messi being the key to both their wins.
Ronaldo has so far only managed one assist. For world footballer of the year this is surely not enough.
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