I would like to remind everyone that I was completely against bringing Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid.
The reason I don’t like Manchester United is because when Ronaldo and Rooney played together there had never been two teammates that I have ever seen in any sport with more talent, more ego, and less sportsmanship between them (although this may change for some people with the Cincinnati Bengals’ new team of Chad and T.O., but not for me). However, my dislike for the team now comes from the fact that I feel Sir Alex Ferguson, whose record certainly demands respect, is the reason for the unsportsmanlike and diva attitudes of those two players who had the misfortune of being world-class talents at a young age under the watch of Fergie.
Since Ronaldo arrived at the Bernabéu, I have put my disregard for Cristiano’s diva-ism, his on-field tantrums towards refs, his inward focused frustration that makes him play selfishly, and his intolerable and at times pathetic-enough-to-shame-his-mother diving aside for the pure reason that he is now on the team I support.
Truth be told, I felt that after a year under Manuel Pellegrini who is far more humble and respectable as a person that Ferguson, Ronaldo was beginning to show a growth in maturity. However, that thought vanished with Ronaldo’s opening-minute dive against Côte d’Ivoire where he tumbled to the ground and rolled around without so much as a stiff breeze hitting him. The flop turned that match into a soap-opera casting audition rather than a soccer match.
Now, Ronaldo wants to wear the number “7” jersey which was once the hallowed property of the legendary Raúl. Under normal circumstances, I could understand. Ronaldo is a great talent and he wore “7” at Manchester and he wears it with Portugal. However, the absence of Raúl is certainly not a normal circumstance for Real Madrid.
The real problem is that Ronaldo is egotistical enough to believe he deserves to wear that sacred jersey, and has no shame in openly asking for it, while Raúl is so humbly and with such a fierce club-first mentality, he would never openly forbid Ronaldo to wear the jersey that in all ways belongs to Raúl forever now.
It’s a shame that numbers are not retired in soccer, or else Raúl’s certainly would be. Since the jersey will not be retired and Raúl will most likely never stop it from happening, the club has a responsibility to the fans and to their hero to step in. The club and fans must go to Cristiano Ronaldo and say with one voice “you have accomplished nothing at Madrid!”
Eventually, someone else will wear the white “7.” When that time comes it must be someone with the potential for legend, someone who is proclaimed to be the second-coming of Raúl, as if such a thing could is even conceivable. The fact is that Raúl and Ronaldo could not be more opposite, except for the fact that both are incredible soccer talents that will be remembered forever in the soccer histories. Raúl is a life-long Real Madrid player. He rose through the ranks and embodies the club values. He is a perfect picture of professionalism and sportsmanship both on the field and off. When the most offensive thing you have ever done is to raise a silencing finger to your lips towards the crowd after scoring an away goal against your biggest rivals, then there is no doubt about your career as a sportsman. Ronaldo, however, was brought in to score goals, not to represent the club. He is constantly seeking attention and has even been mixed up in sex scandals. He has offended more people in his young career than Raúl has in his almost completed one. Not to mention that Raúl, despite his supermodel wife, is the epitome of a dedicated family man.
If all that plus Raúl’s legacy are not reason enough for the club to keep him CR9 not CR7, then certainly we can point to Crisitano’s lack of legacy. He has one no titles. He has never led the team much less the league in scoring. When was the last time Raúl took a dive instead of putting in the effort to keep going, much less saw a red card or a yellow card? Can anyone remember? Cristiano dives constantly and was red carded twice last season in La Liga alone.
Again, one day there will be someone worthy enough to wear the white “7” on the field for the home team at the Bernabéu. Maybe one day Cristiano himself can even change and become successful enough and mature enough to wear the hallowed “7” of Raúl, but that day is not today and I don’t see it anywhere in the near future.
For the club to give anyone the “7” shirt right now would be a dishonor and disrespect to Raúl, the man who honored and respected the club more than anyone else ever has. To give it to someone like Cristiano Ronaldo would only make it worse. I would rather see Granero be offered the shirt for his years of dedication and service. The catch is, anyone who respects the club and is humble enough to wear the shirt would turn the offer down out of respect for Raúl until the legend himself told them they should do it. Clearly, Cristiano Ronaldo is not that respectful, humble person.
