Cristiano Ronaldo could announce his retirement tomorrow and waltz off into the sunset with enough trophies and records to his name to ensure that he will forever remain part of football folklore.
He is, however, the kind of character that is never satisfied and will strive for continuous improvement until a day comes when he can no longer produce the unworldly moments of inspiration for which he is famed. Once back in familiar surroundings, Ronaldo was expected to deliver the kind of spark that underachieving Red Devils have been lacking for the best part of a decade now. Things have not worked out as planned for all concerned.
Very happy to become the first football player to score more than 800 official goals. What an amazing and unforgettable run this is becoming… Thank you to all my supporters for always standing by my side. 801 and still counting!🙏🏽👊🏽 pic.twitter.com/1UqngjqE8V
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) December 3, 2021
Starry-eyed staff and supporters at Old Trafford believed they had hit a recruitment jackpot when acquiring Ronaldo’s services for a second time, but the reality is that value is proving hard to come by. United probably did not scour the market for long before circling a familiar name and could have done with delving a little deeper after deciding that an all-time great should be re-signed. If anything, the club should have learned from the example of their faithful fans, who are knowledgeable in the ways of getting value for money.
Any mere punter knows that value is determined through comparison, which is why reviews and recommendations are so sought-after, particularly in the online realm. For example, if a football fan wanted to have a go at placing a wager on an upcoming match or playing a football-themed game (of which there are countless titles online), the first priority would be to determine which site could hypothetically offer the best bang for their buck.
This is where online directories and listicles save the day: reputable services compare the offerings not the market and rank the options based on a number of factors including average customer review/ratings, amount of payment methods and the quality of promotions/bonuses. A prime example of this is the best casino offers directory from Profit Squad, which conveniently outlines the top ten online casinos according to their research. From this, it’s easy to ascertain, for instance, that games such as Football Studio and Football Star on Casumo Casino site are good options to explore as players can capitalise on offers such as the ‘100% up to £25 + 20 Free Spins’ promotion, which will maximize potential payouts.
Scoping out the market isn’t difficult, as we’ve determined from this example. Plus, we all know that football pros are privy to analytical data galore. Manchester United had a wealth of information at their fingertips and yet they still made the wrong call, so either they ignored the signs in front of their eyes or were fickle enough to trust in Ronaldo’s legacy alone. Perhaps the only thing that the club can do is live with their mistake: they ought to have made a more executive decision regarding the signing as opposed to an opportunistic and somewhat naive acquisition that has, so far, added little to their struggling side.
Best in Europe?
The Red Devils have failed to live up to expectations as a collective in 2021-22, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer paying the price for all too familiar inconsistency when he was replaced by Ralf Rangnick before the turn of a calendar year.
A German tactician has failed to push United into contention for FA Cup glory, having suffered a fourth-round penalty shootout defeat to Middlesbrough, and is not fancied by many to guide his troops towards the business end of a Champions League quest.
That will rile Ronaldo most, with a man accustomed to collecting major silverware on an annual basis in serious danger of being left empty-handed. The clock is ticking as well on efforts to add further entries to a remarkable CV. A modern-day legend has savoured Champions League glory on five previous occasions – across stints with United and Real Madrid – and nobody boasts more successes in that competition than he does.
🇵🇹 Five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo in the Champions League:
⚽️ Most goals in history (136)
👕 Most appearances (178)
😮 Most goals in a season (17)
🤯 Most goals in knockout stages (67)
🔥 Only player to score in 11 straight games
🏆 Only player to score in 3 finals#UCL pic.twitter.com/SyRXiouyhH— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 29, 2021
He is, however, not the most decorated player in history on a European stage, with Madrid legend Francisco Gento boasting six European Cup wins to his name. Ronaldo sits alongside AC Milan great Paolo Maldini and Blancos icons Alfredo Di Stefano and Jose Maria Zarraga on that chart, with one more triumph required in order to add another entry to the record books.
A pen may be snatched away from him in the present, with United looking far from competitive in an elite continental arena, and you have to wonder how more opportunities Ronaldo will get to secure himself medal number six.
