27.09.2019 » Is Ronaldo the best player to have played in the Premier League?
Over the years, some of the finest footballers have graced the Premier League, but Cristiano Ronaldo unquestionably remains one of the best. After arriving at Manchester United at the age of 18 back in the summer of 2003, the Portuguese international hasn't looked back as he has gone on to win five Ballon d'Or awards since then. As a result, we're going to assess whether Ronaldo is the best player in the Premier League era, along with also discussing what resulted in him becoming a global star.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Premier League days:
The most talented foreign import?
Upon moving to England, the former Sporting Lisbon academy graduate became the most expensive teenager in the history of the English game after Sir Alex Ferguson paid just over £12.2 million for the winger. Expectations were high when the then 18-year-old was given the iconic number seven shirt that was previously worn by United legends such as David Beckham, George Best and Eric Cantona. Throughout his time in England, Ronaldo scored 84 goals and assisted another 34 in 196 Premier League appearances, making him one of the most successful imports ever.
However, while the 34-year-old is undoubtedly one of the best, there has been some talented competition over the years. Regarding the greatest import, arguments can be made for David Silva, Denis Bergkamp, and, perhaps most convincingly, Thierry Henry. At Arsenal, the Frenchman won four golden boots after scoring a total of 175 goals in 258 games, but unlike Ronaldo, he didn't become the first Premier League World Player of the Year.
Career success and achieving stardom
Although the Portuguese attacker went on to have an incredibly illustrious career after leaving Manchester United, Ronaldo's collective and individual accolades while in England were crucial in him becoming a global phenomenon. Despite winning three Premier League titles with United, the Champions League became the competition in which he would continually prove himself as one of the very best in world football. After Ronaldo won it with the Red Devils in 2008, he would later go on to win a further four times at Real Madrid, and, in doing so, became a footballing legend.
Much like the World Cup, the Champions League is a big part of popular culture, with viewers across the globe tuning in to watch football’s biggest stars year-after-year. In recent years, the competition has been important to the video game industry, with both Pro Evolution Soccer and FIFA possessing the tournament’s license. Moreover, platforms such as NetBet, a casino online, have designed a selection of slot games around the European competition. Champions Goal, a modern release, captures the atmospheric, high-stakes nature of a Champions League game through crowd applause and celebrations, alongside offering bonuses such as Derby Free Spins and Scattered Trophies.
Very few come closer to being the Premier League's best ever
The debate over the Premier League's best-ever player is a hotly debated topic, but there are no doubts that Ronaldo is in the conversation. While Henry provides fierce competition for the title, the Portugal star's ever-growing trophy cabinet speaks volumes about his career-long success and talent. However, there are also English players to consider such as former teammate Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer, so this is unlikely to be a debate that will ever be settled.
Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Juventus in the Serie A is on September 28, against SPAL. You can watch Juventus vs SPAL, Sevilla vs Real Madrid, Granada vs Barça, West Ham vs Man United, Chelsea vs Liverpool, and AC Milan vs Internazionale, all matches provided from our footy live game pages.
Juventus next game:
Juventus vs SPAL kick-off time (28-09-2019):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+8: 21:00
Jakarta (Indonesia) | UTC/GMT+7: 20:00
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+5.30: 18:30
Italy (Turin) | UTC/GMT+2: 15:00
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+2: 15:00
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+1: 14:00
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-3: 10:00
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-4: 09:00
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-7: 06:00
Sources: ronaldo7.net / premierleague.com / mirror.co.uk
