CR7 Special: Cristiano Ronaldo, Take Your Place Among The Greats

Aged 24 and departing, it may be a futile task comparing the effect that the Portugal captain has had on the Premier League to that of Dennis Bergkamp or Gianfranco Zola, who spent eleven and eight years as players in this league respectively, and retired after their spells in Albion.

However, Cristiano Ronaldo will certainly leave an indelible mark on the top tier of the English game, even if his presence in the league has been fleeting. It will be poorer for his absence.

For a time that is; just as the Premier League recovered from the retirement of Eric Cantona and the transfer of Thierry Henry, so it will find another idol.

Ronaldo is not the most talented footballer to have graced the stadia of England, nor is he the greatest goalscorer. But his construction as a player makes him a one-off. He is possessed of the same je ne sais quoi that had supporters coming in their multitudes to see David Ginola or Bergkamp or Zola. That star quality elevates him beyond the status of his team-mates, even at the world's best club, Manchester United.

At Old Trafford, his inimitable style has been given time to incubate. When he arrived as a lightweight in 2003, he had as much Fabrice Fernandes as Gianfranco Zola in him. We watched as he ploughed the right channel, waving his foot over the ball and making solid, if understated contributions in a modest first season.

Following the advice of his players, as well as paying respect to his own judgement, Sir Alex Ferguson knew that there was something special in this one. He persevered with the Madeira native; his turned a blind-eye to his tendency to seek soft free-kicks and penalties. It is a perseverance that has not been afforded to Ronaldo's compatriot, Nani, who lacks the sprinkle of star-dust that his international colleague has in abundance.

Ronaldo was, is and always will be, indulged. That's how he plays; it's what makes him work.

It is the same indulgence that was lent to Zola, Ginola, Robert Pires and Alan Shearer among others; the burden of aiding colleagues in their agricultural duties was eased from their shoulders and thus, they were given the time and space to thrive.

Hence, Ronaldo is fully deserving of the praise and merits that have come his way and his achievements on the field have equalled and even eclipsed those of his predecessors. For all his Gallic charisma and exemplary vision, Eric Cantona could not inspire Manchester United to a European success. The same applies to Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp at Arsenal.

For his impudent skill and goals, Gianfranco Zola never won so much as a league title with his beloved Chelsea. Try as he might, Alan Shearer's sizeable goal returns were never enough for Newcastle United to be any more than nearly-men.

This is where Ronaldo has an unquestionable edge on his rivals, even if he had Nemanja Vidic where Shearer had Darren Peacock.

Tangible rewards came with the Ronaldo era; United swept above, below, before and behind them during the Portuguese's time at Old Trafford. Three league titles were plundered and a Champions League, a World Club Championship, an FA Cup, League Cups and even a Community Shield helped mark the period 2003-09 down as one of the most fruitful in any footballing era.

Ronaldo was not only fortunate to be part of it, he had an undoubted part to play in most of those successes.

The 2007-08 season in particular was breathtaking to observers; Forty-two goals were netted in only 49 matches and the 31 in 34 league games gives further credence to the belief that we were dealing with more than an orthodox right-winger, despite what the manager said.

Ronaldo excelled in his free-role while Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez did a lot of the spade work. It was a glorious rhombus to behold, with the muscle lent to the operation by a pair of midfielders. The formation was set out to allow Ronaldo flourish, which he did and is a luxury afforded to only the very best. Think of Roma's captain Francesco Totti and the Barcelona incarnation of Ronaldinho.

It was the crowning glory on a mutually beneficial relationship between club and player. As Manchester United rose to become the best team in the world, so Cristiano Ronaldo became the globe's best player. It is a symbiosis that eluded the likes of Cantona, Zola and Bergkamp to name only a few, and it was, for the most part, a joy to behold.

Peter Staunton, Goal.com

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