Cristiano Ronaldo has gone from strength to strength so far this season, assuring any doubters that he is in fact the greatest player in the World at the moment. With 27 goals in as many games this season, it looks as though there can be no stopping our young winger.
On Wednesday night, Ronaldo wrapped up the points for United against Portsmouth after just 13 minutes. He slotted in the first from a tight angle, and the second came from a perfectly executed freekick, which has received much praise since.
“It was a marvellous hit,” Ferguson said. “No goalkeeper in the world would have saved that. It’s the best free kick I’ve seen in the Premier League.” Ronaldo’s team mates joined in, Nemanja Vidic saying, “It was unbelievable. I think it was the best goal I’ve seen in a game I have played in.” Carrick added, “it was a fantastic free-kick, probably the best one he’s scored.”
Today, Ronaldo has been asked what is the story behind his great free kick technique. Sensibly, Ronaldo told them to jog on!
“The secret?” He said. “I will not reveal it, for I would be giving a trump card to my opponents. I can state only the success or failure at the moment of taking the free-kick is directly related to the position of the body, the way one runs towards the ball and the way one positions one’s feet. At that moment, I think only about which side of the net I’m going to aim for. I look at the ball, I look at the net and I say to myself ‘take the kick, Ronaldo’, then I shoot. Sometimes it ends well, sometimes not so well.”
Any ideas how he does it?
Of course I’ve no idea how he does it, but I do love the mystery. You think here is this young man in his early twenties gaining the respect of adults around the world. For him to sustain the incredible form he has, field the pressure that his reputation has afforded him, and still play up to the press with a little play at mystery… it’s astounding to me. So often we forget how young these players are. To think back to when I was Ronnie or Rooney’s age, it’s a completely different mindset and our lads step up to take on the responsibility. It makes me that much more proud to be a red.