Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo leaves the pitch after attending a training session during open media day at Valdebebas sports ground in Madrid. Real Madrid will face Atletico Madrid at the Champions League final in Lisbon on May 24. (Reuters)
DPA/Lisbon
Cristiano Ronaldo can hardly be overlooked in any aspect of the buildup to the Champions League final.
The World Footballer of the Year is posing in the nude with his Russian girlfriend Irina Shayk in the latest edition of the Spanish edition of Vogue magazine.
On Saturday, he aims to shake off a thigh muscle scare and lead Real Madrid to their 10th Champions League crown - which they have been chasing for 11 years since their last title 2002 - in his native Portugal against crosstown rivals Atletico Madrid.
“The Decima is the trophy that every Madridista wants. I joined this club to win titles like this,” he said.
Atletico winning the Liga title instead of Real, who came third, may be the only dent in an all but perfect season for the 29-year-old from Madeira.
Ronaldo finally left Barcelona and Argentina icon Lionel Messi behind, beating him for the World Footballer honour in January, becoming Liga season top scorer with 31 goals and bettering Messi’s Champions League scoring record to a current tally of 16.
All-time great?
A second Champions League trophy on Saturday (the first being 2008 with Manchester United) would confirm his status as one of the all-time greats.
Ronaldo’s football ability - from fast runs down the left flank to superior aerial skills and accurate free-kicks - is undisputed these days since a 2009 move for a world record 94 million euros (128.6 million dollars) from Manchester United to Real.
Ronaldo has won less silverware at Real (one Spanish cup and one league) than at United (three Premier Leagues, one FA Cup and one Champions League) but has become the complete player and a true team leader in Spain.
“In the six years we had him, you just saw his game grow all the time, and he was a fantastic player. Now you see the complete player,” former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said last year in praise of Ronaldo.
Ronaldo’s coaches have always praised his professional work ethic but at the same time he has never been able to fully shed an image of being arrogant and too self-conscious.
Even world football supremo Joseph Blatter controversially pitched in last year, saying he “spends too much time at the hairdresser.” Blatter and Ronaldo buried the hatched at the Ballon d’Or gala where Ronaldo became very human when given the top award in the sport.
“Words cannot express how I feel at this moment,” a tearful Ronaldo said.
Success on Saturday would be the culmination of the season for himself and Real - and put him on countless more newspaper and magazine covers. Over to you Ronaldo.
