[misha]

Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo has been lavished with the highest praise following his display in the demolition of Roma, with team-mate Patrice Evra claiming the Portuguese can be "better than Pele or Maradona".

Ronaldo scored twice in the amazing 7-1 destruction of Roma at Old Trafford as he put in yet another scintillating performance to which the Italians rarely had an answer.

The 22-year-old is set to sweep the board in the player-of-the-year polls and Evra, who also found the back of the net on Tuesday, believes he can go on to become one of the game's all-time greats.

"Cristiano can do the same job as Pele or [Diego] Maradona or [George] Best," Evra said. "He can be like them. The great thing about him, he does not do it just in training, he does it on the pitch. And he does not do it for himself, he does it for the team, for the fans and for the winning of the game."

Ronaldo's sparkling form has helped United into the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and the Champions League, and the Red Devils are still on course for an unprecedented second treble as they stand three points clear at the top of the Premiership.

But Evra refuses to get carried away with thoughts of such success and remains focused on the job in hand.

The France international said: "If we win nothing, people will say, 'well, United played good football', but to me that is not enough. It we win nothing it will have been a bad season. We must win one trophy or two. Three would be unbelievable, but anything is possible."

"When everything is going well is when things can become dangerous," Evra told L'Equipe. "The end of the season can be brilliant or like a bad dream for us. In football only trophies count.

"I've already experienced [a title run-in like this] with Monaco in 2004. We had a 10-point lead on Lyon in January and we qualified for the final of the Champions League. By the end, we had won nothing. I know at what point things go wrong. I don't want to re-live that."

Meanwhile, the rumours linking Ronaldo to a move away from Old Trafford look set to continue, with the Guardian reporting that Real Madrid are set to table a £54 million offer to lure him to the Spanish capital.

The newspaper reported that 'Real Madrid have stepped up their attempt to sign [Ronaldo] by meeting his agent and agreeing a course of action that directors at the Bernabeu believe will end with the Portugal winger becoming their latest galáctico'.

Ronaldo has recently reiterated his desire to remain at United, but has not ruled out the possibility of playing in Spain at some stage of his career.

eurosport

[jefri91]

wtf ?? Only thing he can do is tricks and no skills

[dst]

Fine by me! I never liked Pele anyway.

Garrincha was da man!!!!!!!!!!! (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/devil.gif)

But I hate these comparisons. CR will be CR! He's great and his future looks bright. But both Pele and Maradona also shined in International level! Can he do that? He hasn't been as effective for the Portugal NT as he's been for United.

"And he does not do it for himself, he does it for the team, for the fans and for the winning of the game."

He is a team player but he also plays a lot for himself!

directors at the Bernabeu believe will end with the Portugal winger becoming their latest galáctico'.

I think he'll go to Barcelona if he leaves United... who knows?

[han2503]

Oh please (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) Now THIS is taking it TOO far.

I admit the guy is probably in the form of his life but I think all this hype is ridiculous, Getting in 2 past Roma when they have already given up shouldn't be such a hard task.

This post has been edited by han2503: Apr 12 2007, 05:24 PM

[Milan Are Brilli...]

I don't really know I never saw Pele on live TV or at a stadium I just hear things. I saw C.Ronaldo a few years ago and he was something else then, god knows what he's like now I remember trying to watch his feet when he had the ball and trust me there far quicker in life than they are on TV!

I don't think he's up to Pele's standards yet, from what I get told anyway (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[Portman]

He'll never be, even, the best portuguese player of all time.

Eusébio in the 60's was the man. Portugal got the 3rd place in England's World Cup thanks to him.

Well, if we win the next World Cup... or in 2014, then maybe we can consider that. Otherwise... he'll be another Figo, Rui Costa, Paulo Sousa... like those.

This post has been edited by Portugal: Apr 12 2007, 05:58 PM

[KillerMax]

he'll be another Figo, Rui Costa, Paulo Sousa... like those.

Even though Rui is pure class and I have a lot of respect for him, I think Ronaldo will be better than all of those players you mentioned. It's only a matter of time until he wins the Golden Ball.

[misha]

He has signed a new 5 year contract with United so it seems like he won't be going anywhere

[LaPalma]

Even though Rui is pure class and I have a lot of respect for him, I think Ronaldo will be better than all of those players you mentioned. It's only a matter of time until he wins the Golden Ball.

Defintely not better than Figo IMO. I've never actually seen Eusebio, so Figo is the best football player from Portugal I've ever seen, and in the late 90ies and early 2000s he was, besides Zizou, THE player. Maybe Cristiano (whom I really admire as a player) will one day be as good as him.

[misha]

Defintely not better than Figo IMO. I've never actually seen Eusebio, so Figo is the best football player from Portugal I've ever seen, and in the late 90ies and early 2000s he was, besides Zizou, THE player. Maybe Cristiano (whom I really admire as a player) will one day be as good as him.

Figo was great without a doubt but I think Ronaldo is more talented but whether he can fulfil his potential (ability and trophies) over the years is up to him.

[LaPalma]

Figo was great without a doubt but I think Ronaldo is more talented but whether he can fulfil his potential (ability and trophies) over the years is up to him.

I really don't think he's more talented than Figo. I mean OK, consideringhis age he's outstanding, but for me there are only a hand full of players or so in the last 50 years which were better than Figo.

[misha]

I really don't think he's more talented than Figo. I mean OK, consideringhis age he's outstanding, but for me there are only a hand full of players or so in the last 50 years which were better than Figo.

I don't think Figo was that great but each one sees it differently

[dst]

I think Rui in his Viola days was better than Figo.

Ronaldo cannot be judged from one season. Both Figo and Rui Costa had continuous great seasons while he is only in his first real world class one.

If you look back at Kaka's first season (full season, '03/'04) he was unstoppable. Every time he got the ball it was as if Milan were using some video game-style super special move... he was extraordinary. CR is in that position now. But as with Kaka, defenders will learn how to constrain him to some point and then is when great footballers stand out. If he still manages to be effective the next years he will be among the great ones of his generation. Now, he's got a super season... but almost everyone's got one!

[Milan Are Brilli...]

He has signed a new 5 year contract with United so it seems like he won't be going anywhere

Good, keeps the English league slightly more watchable, thing is now Madrid will maybe come calling for Kaka even more heavily now.

[dst]

Good, keeps the English league slightly more watchable, thing is now Madrid will maybe come calling for Kaka even more heavily now.

There's still Robben for them to get. Just need to hype him up a little and all will be fine! Or at least he's who I wish their next target is gonna be...