He roared and they were rather astounded at such show of emotion. Wow! Are you kidding me? I would have shouted down the whole of Switzerland if I was only just included in the FIFPRO XI not to talk of beating LIONEL MESSI and MANUEL NEUER to the greatest individual award any footballer can be given. Please! In 2012, no one would have given CR7 the slightest chance to reclaim an award he had lost four years in a row to biggest rival, Leo. In any era, the Argentine would have been a bone in the neck. For Ronaldo to come back from relative obscurity to reclaim Soccer's most coveted individual prize is an achievement in its own. After a stellar 2014 filled with goals and trophies, it wasn't still a certainty that he was the obvious choice. Not when we have the likes of Clark Whitney who tweets his hate from @mr_bundesliga account bringing out stats that effectively portray his clear disdain for the Portuguese football legend. Manuel Neuer rebranded the gk position, won the World Cup and what have you. Beautiful stuff but when you consider what CR7 achieved, it would have been totally unfair to ignore him for an award he so rightly deserves. He won it and Clark and co couldn't hide their disgust and disappointment. Well, haters can only hate.
To better things, CR7 ensured that he remains the reference point, the best player in the World but it hasn't come at an easy price. For one who was much maligned since his last award in 08 (prior to last year), one would have concluded that he would never hold aloft the golden ball. But he prove beyond all reasonable doubt that dry bones can rise again. A measure of his relentlessness and never say die spirit which has robbed off on all those who wanted to give up, of course. His mother fell into his arms, in tears, because she knows how much work he has put in to be rewarded with such a huge honour. Even if Thierry Henry looked motionless and bemused when Ronaldo let out 'siiiiiiiii' which means 'yes' upon collecting the golden ball, I know he still appreciates the fact that being there is no mean feat. Afterall, he was there gazing when Zidane and Ronalidnho were picked ahead of him in successive years (03-04). Many have argued that he deserves at least a Ballon d'Or for what he achieved but so do Totti, Raul, Del Piero, Giggs and many others who weren't recognised.
Ronaldo defied the odds, raised the bar beyond the reach of anyone else (including Messi) and forced the hand of those who voted for him. Looking at it critically, I analysed the voting of the last six years and 69-71% of those who voted for Messi from 09-12, turned around to vote for Ronaldo the last two years. If we listen to the likes of Whitney, Ronnie probably bribed them all. Anyways, let's face important issues. CR7 and Rafa Nadal always prove the doubters wrong. They make them look like clowns that they are. Those who criticize them get the unlikeliest of responses when the time is right. Like Nadal, Ronaldo always come back....in your faces and this is not the end of his 'return to the summit; sequel. The advice henceforth is 'learn where others have failed and learn harder where others have failed better to succeed best'.
Thank you
Ohireime P Eboreime
@ohiskaka1990
