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Why no one likes Cristiano Ronaldo

First, let me revise my title, because not everyone dislikes the “other” Ronaldo. Just throw 40 or 50 unprovoked snide comments into a forum and you’ll see that some people actually respect the guy for his quick feet, moderate talents and insatiable appetite for trying to make the “Top 10 step-overs” highlight reel. “Ronaldo’s a great player,” they’ll say, “so leave him alone.”

Maybe. But at Manchester United he’s a midfielder that dances too much to deliver the ball with any consistency and for Portugal he’s a forward that can’t get through World Cup defenses by himself. The fans at this year’s Cup are reluctant to embrace or even praise the kid, and everyone’s got a joke to make when during the slow motion replays of his scowls.

It’s not the hair. If the sheer logistics and personal investment required for Ronaldo’s original new look, the “Backstreet Boy Mullett,”(All boy band in the front, all-unnecessary in the back) aren’t impressive, the time commitment required to sculpt your scalp to this level of immobility (including an anti-gravity spritz for the neck hair, I’m guessing) must be.

And it’s not the pouting. People embrace pouters, rallying around them when the chips are down. I would know; I used to be one. Like Ronaldo, I have been frustrated with my play when the stakes were high. When Mr. Cutting’s 4th grade class took on Mrs. Coe’s 5th grade class during lunch recess and our star player Jeff, who could kick the ball with his right AND left foot went down with a bone protruding from his arm (5th graders to this day claim it was a dive), all eyes turned to me. I had orchestrated our previous strategy (get the ball to Jeff) and executed it flawlessly, so I was next in line to lead the team.

I didn’t have any ideas and as our 9-3 lead quickly became an 11-8 nail-biter, I decided the best way to hold out the last 9 minutes of our 30 minute recess was to complain as much as possible and grimace whenever my team lost the ball. We won 16-15 and I learned the motivational value of acting like you’re personally disgusted with pretty much everything that doesn’t go your way.

Ronaldo has learned that lesson too. You can see after almost every play that doesn’t end in a goal that he’s trying to communicate a simple message to his coach. “Get 10 better players around me and better refs and I’ll take this team to a championship!” It’s that kind of determination that was so inspirational to me as a fourth grader, I just didn’t know it yet.

I also channeled Ronaldo in other areas of my life. Ronaldo and I both understand that complaining of sore muscles, or other injuries, is a free pass to almost anything, and while I used my excuses to get a few minutes out of class in the nurses office, Ronaldo uses his to get a few days off from practice.

What I’m trying to say here, is that Ronaldo is simply growing through life at a slightly slower pace than the rest of us and right now he’s somewhere around grade four or five on the field. It’s not his fault, and his tantrums are exactly that. One day he will age, slow down, limit his over the ball and stop juking like he’s in a Nike commercial to pass back to his keeper. We can all root for him then, and marvel at how much better he makes his teammates because he’s so dangerous on the ball. He’ll score a lot of goals, win a lot of games and make a lot of money. It will be kind of like now except that though he may not look like he’s out there having fun, we may be able to root for him.

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Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 964 comments.

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By DA UNKNOWN | May 4th, 2007 at 8:34 am
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I NOW PEOPLE THAT GUY IS TALKING BULLSHIT…MUST BE MENTAL…ANYWAYS NOT FAIR MAN UTD LOST AGAINST AC MILAN BUT ATLEST THEY GOT ALL THE WAY TO THE SEMI-FINALS…AND GOOD LUCK FOR THE FA CUP FINAL:D

By Honey | May 17th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
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Hye Everyone!!!!!!!

Da Unknown: Long time no chat with u ‘Da Unknown’…how r u?? Hope everything is alrite in here..

Cristiano Ronaldo,this is for u and for Manchester United too..

Good Luck For the FA Cup Final..hope u can get the silverware again…make it double as u say.. GO CR, GO CR, GO CR…

Congratulations For be The Champions of Barcalays Premiership…Glory,GLory,Glory Man.U And Cristiano Ronaldo…

Posted from Malaysia Malaysia

By DA UNKNOWN | May 19th, 2007 at 4:57 am
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HELLOOOO HONEY U OK..IM FINE THANKS
GOOD LUCK TO MANCHESTER UNITED AND CRISTIANO RONALDO

Posted from United Kingdom United Kingdom

By C.R lova | June 30th, 2007 at 3:51 am
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omg i luv him to bits he is sooo hot i wonder y u guyz r just against him cuz u guyz have no taste u guyz probz like the shittiest playa on earth!! xC.Rx

By C.R lova | June 30th, 2007 at 3:51 am
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omg i luv him to bits he is sooo hot i wonder y u guyz r just against him cuz u guyz have no taste u guyz probz like the shittiest playa on earth!! xC.Rx

By C.R lova | July 1st, 2007 at 3:20 am
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i luv him so much hes the hottest and sexiest in da hole world!!

By DA UNKNOWN | July 2nd, 2007 at 12:07 pm
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C.R lova: not evry1 ere is a hater.
im like his biggest fan ever

hez da world best playa n he soo sexy n cute

CRISTIANO RONALDO 4 LYFE
XXXXX

By DA UNKNOWN | July 2nd, 2007 at 12:07 pm
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C.R lova: not evry1 ere is a hater.
im like his biggest fan ever

hez da world best playa n he soo sexy n cute

CRISTIANO RONALDO 4 LYFE
XXXXX

By DA UNKNOWN | July 2nd, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Top

C.R lova: not evry1 ere is a hater.
im like his biggest fan ever

hez da world best playa n he soo sexy n cute

CRISTIANO RONALDO 4 LYFE
XXXXX

By Tammy | July 2nd, 2007 at 2:22 pm
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Hi to you all!!..You should know that :
Cristiano Ronaldo is the best.. and watching soccer without him.. it isn’t actually the same.. He’s a great player .. have lots of talent .. and for me he’s sexy as no one else xox

By Bobby | July 14th, 2007 at 8:33 am
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Does being named English Footballer of year mean at least someone likes the kid?

By c.ronaldo#1fan | October 20th, 2007 at 3:37 am
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i think c.ronaldo is the best..i guess every1 dont hate him..did u even analyz before writing this article..pls dont talk so badly about him..

Posted from Malaysia Malaysia

By cris1 fan | October 20th, 2007 at 3:46 am
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why do you write so bad about c.ranaldo..every 1 likes him ok

Posted from Malaysia Malaysia

By Andrew Montez | November 29th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
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Man why are you guys talking stuff on ronaldo he is the best in the world

Posted from United States United States

By robytza | December 6th, 2007 at 3:59 am
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i like Cristiano Ronaldo.
Is the best playes in this WORLD.
I like number 7.
Is very good this player.

Posted from United States United States

By Isaac leal | December 16th, 2007 at 12:08 am
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i love C. Ronaldo he is the best i would ove to meet him nd to all the haterz yall hate cause yall aint him. Go Man U nd C. Ronaldo

Posted from United States United States

By kio briggs | December 16th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
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This blog was not formed by kio briggs, kio briggs only commented on the blog. Thank you

By Ale | January 1st, 2008 at 6:01 pm
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Ronaldo rocks!!!!! Great player and very exciting.

Posted from United States United States

By ramzul | February 21st, 2008 at 2:16 am
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he’s sucks!

Posted from Malaysia Malaysia

By tones | March 23rd, 2008 at 10:24 am
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Man, wake the fuck up!
You are just jelouse of this guy!
enough of your shit that makes no sense.
Put out stuff that makes sense and not shit that comes out of your mouth.
Ranaldo is a good player, only of you could play 1/4 as good as he can, you can then fuck off!

By tones | March 25th, 2008 at 8:41 am
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Yeah the wanker that wrote this article, look at Ranaldo today!!!
Simply one of the best!
This guy that wrote this article or anyone who agrees with him, your just jelouse fucks that only wish to be like him!@

By jane | March 27th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
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ronaldo is the sxcist player alive who eva rote dis page is a bolloks ronaldo is de bst player in do world iv met im and got a pic wit im he is muchhhhhhhh beta looking in person XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXX:L:L:L:L:L:L:L

Posted from Ireland Ireland

By jane | March 27th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Top

ronaldo is the sxcist player alive who eva rote dis page is a bolloks ronaldo is de bst player in do world iv met im he is muchhhhhhhh beta looking in person XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXX:L:L:L:L:L:L:L………………XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX:L:L:L:L:L:L:L@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Posted from Ireland Ireland

By jane | March 27th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
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he is the sxcies player in the world the bollax da rote rote dis page is jus jelous iv met ronaldo and he is soooooooooooo much beter lookin in person:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx:::::::::::::::::::::::;::::

Posted from Ireland Ireland

By jane | March 27th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
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XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx:::::::::::::::::::::::;::::

Posted from Ireland Ireland

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