Portuguese soccer genius, Cristiano Ronaldo, on Sunday, made history when he was named Player of the Century at the 2020 Globe Soccer Awards.
The prestigious awards also honoured Real Madrid as Club of the Century, while Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola won the Coach of the Century title and Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski became Player of the Year for 2020.
The Juventus goal merchant had won several other major diadems, including five Ballon d’Or, but the Sunday’s deal seems to remain most symbolic.
He was voted best player of the 2000s by a 23-person jury, including coaches and former players and worldwide fan votes.
Many would agree with the sages concerning their judgement, which eliminated Ronaldo’s ‘top rival’, Lionel Messi, Mo Salah and by implication other soccer greats such as Pele and Diego Maradona
Many would yet wonder why the gold should not go to Messi, who has been like a spirit on the pitch in the past decade or so.
Apart from the fact that Messi seems more naturally better endowed, he has got more Ballon d’Or lilies than Ronaldo.
He has six as against the latter’s five.
Yet, another line of reflection will insist that Ronaldo has been more mobile than Messi, who has remained with Barcelona while the former rolled from Manchester United to Real Madrid and now Juventus.
As soccer historians note, Ronaldo is a five-time UEFA Champions League winner (four with Real Madrid, one with Manchester United). He won the English Premier League title with the Red Devils for three consecutive years (2007, 2008, and 2009).
The captain of Portugal also led his country to win their first-ever major title, the UEFA EURO 2016.
In other words, in all of the top teams he has forayed, he remained the best.
The FIFA judgement, however contestable some may find it – there is also the issue of bandwagon effect since the competition draws strength from crowds’ votes – is thus one that is logical and positively historical.
Reports add that since becoming a Juventus player in 2018, Ronaldo became the Italian champion twice as he scored 81 goals in 103 games for the Italian club.
