Cristiano Ronaldo is the perfect footballer who has been somewhat of an imperfect fit at Manchester United to date.
Ronaldo has performed well since he returned to the club, scoring nine goals in 12 appearances.
Despite his impressive scoring rate, United are not clicking, winning just one of the last six Premier League games.
It may not be Ronaldo’s fault, but manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is struggling to build a team around him.
Comments from German legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, a two-time European Cup winner, offer somewhat of a warning to United about Ronaldo.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport this week, Rummenigge said: “What was thought of in Italy was also thought of at Real Madrid, when he was sold in 2018. Even in Spain they believed they were freeing themselves from a burden, especially economic.”
It must be pointed out that when Ronaldo left Madrid he did so having just won the Champions League. Real have not come close to winning it since.
So while financially Real may be without his wages, they are also without his goals, and Juventus are down in eighth place in Serie A now Ronaldo has gone.
Rummenigge praised Ronaldo’s effectiveness in front of goal and his dedication to his career.
He said: “He is a player who he scores continuously, despite being almost 37 years old. He also has an incredible physical care, I could see it with my own eyes.
“When I visited the Juventus sports center I met him by chance in the locker room, I saw the his muscles and I was struck, he looked like the bust of a twenty-two year old.”
A true great
Ronaldo is a true great, having won five Champions League titles across his career and seven domestic league titles in three different countries.
What he is now trying to do is one of his toughest challenges, to turn United back into title winners.
It is very possible that he miscalculated the scale of the challenge, and at 36, he is not at the very peak of his powers.
There is a lot to do this campaign to turn it around, but Ronaldo won’t be giving up until it is mathematically impossible.
If he can lead this United team to silverware this season or next, it will go down as one of his greatest achievements.
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