The European Championships are now well under way with Portugal being the first team to progress through to the Semi-Finals with a 1-0 victory over the Czech Republic in which Cristiano Ronaldo claimed was a ‘mature’ performance. The Real Madrid star grabbed a 79th minute winner for the Portuguese national side with a diving header.
After Portugal’s Quarter-Final win Match of the Day analyst Jurgen Klinsmann said “Ronaldo is world class, he is exceptional. He is in the top three with Lionel Messi and maybe Xavi and Andres Iniesta.”
Alan Shearer also added “Ronaldo was exceptional. The desire, the hunger to get in the right place. He got on the end of the cross and deservedly got his team into the Semi-Finals. He was the stand-out player.”
Ronaldo and his teammates are now just one victory away from reaching the European Championship Final at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev and will play either Spain or France in their Semi-Final, but whether the former Manchester United playmaker will inspire the rest of his team on to Euro glory or not still remains to be seen.
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However, there seems to be something else on the mind of the player who played a major part in Los Blancos route to winning La Liga, and this is the Fifa Ballon d’Or award. Cristiano Ronaldo won the Fifa Ballon d’Or award in 2008, but his chances have been scuppered in recent years with form of the one and only Lionel Messi, the Barcelona talisman has won the award on the last three occasions.
This time around the Portugal captain is the favourite to capture the extremely prestigious award and he believes that an excellent tournament in Poland and Ukraine could increase his chances of reclaiming the accolade. Ronaldo is currently joint-top of the Euro 2012 goal scoring chart with 3 goals along with Germany’s Mario Gomez, Russia’s Alan Dzagoev and Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic.
The Euros are Ronaldo’s opportunity to earn success on his own terms. To not be undermined at every junction by Lionel Messi. His achievements with Real Madrid this season are magnificent, but Messi’s achievements have been unbelievable. It’s difficult for Ronaldo, but he’s earned his time in the sun.
Can Ronaldo inspire Portugal to Euro 2012 glory?
Can Ronaldo reclaim the Fifa Ballon d’Or award?
Could this be Ronaldo’s year?
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