Footballmagic Player of the Year 2017: Cristiano Ronaldo

It is unquestionably common knowledge that in football, the game’s elite have, down the years, consistently stepped up to the plate in the most important matches. It is also common knowledge that Cristiano Ronaldo is no exception; goals in the 2008 and 2014 champions league finals, the winning goal in the Copa Del Rey in 2011 and countless other goals when his teams have needed him most.

In 2017, he took stepping up to the plate to a whole new level.

Zinedine Zidane had gone where no other manager could, and he had rested Ronaldo repeatedly throughout the season. It was a bold move; Ronaldo doesn’t like being on the bench, but it turned out to be genius. When in other seasons Cristiano had appeared to be unfit towards the latter stages, the Frenchman’s resting of his prize asset proved pivotal in their league and champions league double as a fully fit Ronaldo reaped the benefits of being frequently rested and tore it up in the big games.

He kicked off his astonishing run in April, where Real hosted Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League quarter finals. After falling behind to a first half Arturo Vidal goal, Ronaldo did what he does best and turned the game on its head with a brace.

In the second leg, he stepped up another gear – after his 76th minute equaliser look set to send Real through to the semis, a Sergio Ramos own goal meant extra time was on the horizon, and Ronaldo capitalised in style, adding two further goals to complete a hat-trick.

His goals had been responsible for leading Madrid through, and they didn’t stop there; in a crunch match of a semi-final against local rivals Atletico Madrid, a second hat-trick in a row all but ensured a place in the final, without the second leg even having been played.

He remained in fine form to score the goal that won Madrid la liga on the last day against Malaga, before they faced off against Juventus in the Champions League final.

The ‘Old Lady’ had kept Lionel Messi’s Barcelona at bay over two legs in the quarter finals, but while Messi was thwarted,  Ronaldo could not be contained.

His impressive finish in the 20th minute opened the scoring in the biggest game of them all, and mid-way through the second half his goal made it 3-1 to Real, sealing  the win.

His crucial goals in crucial games were a vital source of Real’s success in winning the league and Champions League, and his outstanding goal of the bench in the Spanish Supercopa against Barcelona contributed to success in that tie also, before his free-kick in the World Club cup final put the cherry on the cake after a truly unbelievable year.

Personally, I don’t think Ronaldo is the best player in the world. His powers are diminishing slowly, and a tough tie against PSG in the champions league and huge ground to make up in La Liga means that 2018 could be a struggle for him. Nevertheless, due to a combination of Zidane’s excellence and his own brilliance, 2017 was, undoubtedly, his year.

I am compelled to mention four of the other outstanding players of the year, as Lionel Messi, Isco, Neymar and Luka Modric were too good to not be talked about.

Messi was a close runner-up for this award, but after Barcelona were swept aside by Juventus it was almost out of the little genius’s hands as he was forced to watch on as Ronaldo scored goal after goal after goal.

Messi’s brace in El Clasico in May was something special, the first a goal that made Dani Carvajal ( who, may I mention is a terrific player) look like someone playing football for the first time, and the second a world-class team goal, rounded off by Messi with a sumptuous finish in added time to make the score 2-3 to Barcelona.

He also saved his country with a memorable hat-trick, three brilliant goals against Ecuador which sent Argentina narrowly through to this summer’s World Cup finals in Russia.

Isco is also a player who must not be forgotten as he showed his quality in style towards the end of last season.

Often in Ronaldo’s absence, it was Isco who stepped up and made the difference putting in a string off class performances that sent Real on their way to the title.

Luka Modric was also consistent as ever throughout 2017, and as one of the world’s best players he was a vital cog in Zidane’s triumphant outfit.

Finally, we have Neymar. He stole the show in March when Barcelona needed three goals to knock PSG out of the Champions League with three minutes let of normal time. A truly brilliant free-kick, a cool penalty and an impressive assist later resulted in perhaps one of the most amazing comebacks football has ever seen.

But Neymar, rightly or wrongly, felt that he wasn’t shown enough love by the club for his performances, that one in particular, and in the summer, with a hint of irony, PSG themselves paid £200m to bring him to Paris, and he has started his career in the French capital impressively.

So, Modric, Neymar, Isco and Messi are not to be forgotten, but Ronaldo’s brilliance prevailed in a memorable year.

0 thoughts on “Footballmagic Player of the Year 2017: Cristiano Ronaldo”

  9. You have made your position quite nicely!.
    http://canadianpharmaciescubarx.com/
    canadian pharmacies shipping to usa canada pharmacy online no prior prescription required pharmacy canada pharmacy
    canadian pharmacies that are legit
    overseas pharmacies
    the canadian pharmacy
    canadian pharmacy without prescription
    pharmacy price compare
    online pharmacies

    Reply

  17. You reported that fantastically!
    http://canadianonlinepharmacynnm.com/
    no 1 canadian pharcharmy online canada drugs canadian online pharmacy canada pharmaceutical online ordering
    most reliable canadian pharmacies
    best online pharmacy stores
    canadian drug stores online
    canada drugs pharmacy
    mexican pharmacies
    best canadian mail order pharmacies

    Reply

  19. You expressed this terrifically.
    http://canadianpharmacymim.com/
    online canadian pharmacies canada online pharmacies no prior prescription required pharmacy top rated canadian pharmacies online
    online pharmacy no prescription needed
    prescription without a doctor’s prescription
    highest rated canadian pharmacies
    best online international pharmacies
    approved canadian pharmacies online
    canadian rx pharmacy online

    Reply

  20. You suggested it superbly!
    http://www.canadianpharmacymsn.com/
    us pharmacy no prior prescription canada pharmacy online canadian pharcharmy online canadian pharmacies that ship to us
    canada pharmacies without script
    canada pharmacies
    pharmacy drug store
    legitimate online pharmacies
    us pharmacy no prior prescription
    best non prescription online pharmacies

    Reply

  23. Kudos, Quite a lot of information.
    http://canadianpharmacymim.com/
    canadian pharmacy viagra brand online pharmacies of canada cialis canadian pharmacy canadian cialis
    canadian pharmacy viagra brand
    canadian drugs
    canadapharmacy com
    drug prices comparison
    reputable canadian mail order pharmacies
    prescription drugs without prior prescription

    Reply

  29. Amazing info. Thank you!
    http://canadianpharmaciesnnm.com/
    canadian mail order pharmacies online pharmacies canada canadian pharmacy meds northwest pharmacy
    drug stores near me
    online pharmacies canada
    the canadian pharmacy
    canadian online pharmacies prescription drugs
    best non prescription online pharmacies
    prescription drug price comparison

    Reply

  30. Incredible a good deal of very good info!
    http://canadianpharmacymim.com/
    no prescription online pharmacy trust pharmacy canada buy prescription drugs from canada canadian online pharmacy
    pharmacy without dr prescriptions
    canadian pharmacy uk delivery
    buy drugs online
    canadian pharmacy online
    canada online pharmacy
    medical information online

    Reply

  35. This is nicely expressed! .
    http://canadianpharmacymim.com/
    prescription drug price comparison london drugs canada no prior prescription required pharmacy northwest pharmacy
    canadapharmacyonline com
    buy prescription drugs online
    canadian pharmacies that are legit
    mail order pharmacies
    best non prescription online pharmacies
    mexican pharmacies online

    Reply

  37. You’ve made the point!
    http://canadianpharmaciescubarx.com/
    canadian pharmacy viagra online pharmacies canada canada drugs pharmacy canadian pharmacies-24h
    us pharmacy no prior prescription
    prescription drug price comparison
    canada pharmacy online no script
    drug stores near me
    prescription drug
    canadian online pharmacies prescription drugs

    Reply

  40. You said it adequately..
    http://talahicc.com/
    best online pharmacy stores mexican pharmacies shipping to usa best non prescription online pharmacies global pharmacy canada
    canada pharmacy online
    international pharmacies that ship to the usa
    best non prescription online pharmacies
    prescription pricing
    us pharmacy no prior prescription
    mail order pharmacy

    Reply

  42. Very good knowledge. Many thanks!
    http://canadianpharmacyntx.com/
    canada pharmacies online prescriptions top rated canadian pharmacies online canadian pharmacies online prescriptions canada drug
    prescription without a doctor’s prescription
    pharmacy tech
    price prescription drugs
    canadian pharmacies without prescriptions
    mexican online pharmacies
    mexican pharmacy online medications

    Reply

  50. You made your point!
    http://canadianpharmaciescubarx.com/
    mexican pharmacies shipping to usa canada online pharmacies prescription drugs canada aarp approved canadian online pharmacies
    canada pharmacy online orders
    pharmacy tech
    canadian drugs without prescription
    northwest pharmacy canada
    canadian pharmacy no prescription needed
    no prescription pharmacies

    Reply

  51. Nicely put. Kudos!
    http://canadianpharmaciescubarx.com/
    canadapharmacyonline.com canada drugs online canada drugs pharmacy global pharmacy canada
    <a href="https://fuszereslelek.nlcafe.hu/2017/03/13/konnyu-malnatekercs/#comment-38915?sharebyemailCimzett=paille172ync%40brew-master.com&sharebyemailFelado=paille172ync%40brew-master.com&sharebyemailUzenet=+Thanks.+An+abundance+of+advice.++http%3A%2F%2Fcialismsnrx.com%2F+cialis+bayanlarda+etkisi+buy+cialis+online+%0D%0Acialis+experience+forum+%0D%0Acialis+online&sharebyemailTitle=Konnyu+malnatekercs&sharebyemailUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ffuszereslelek.nlcafe.hu%2F2017%2F03%2F13%2Fkonnyu-malnatekercs%2F&shareByEmailSendEmail=Elkuld”>canadian drugstore online
    drugs without prescription
    online pharmacy without prescription
    safeway pharmacy
    mexican pharmacy online
    pharmacy price compare

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *