(Feature Story) Cristiano Ronaldo: Deity Disguised As A Footballer

THE mere mention of the name Cristiano Ronaldo, for those in the know, conjures up mind-boggling compilations of personal achievements that will arguably remain unrivaled in the next several decades.

Cristiano Ronaldo
Image credit: Wiki media commons

On the pitch, he is a ruthless predator whose primordial desire is absolute containment, if not total obliteration, of the opposing species.

He may be a debonaire, a vivacious individual whose social status and appeal can rival that of Hollywood celebrities, but do not let this fool you. He is, in real life, an unsightly two-legged monster out to eat you alive on a soccer match.

He may be a philanthropist, doling out cash to help out-of-school youths and hungry children in third-world countries. On the field, however, he is as greedy as any corporate honcho or fellow footballer whose only desire is to score as many goals as humanly possible.

Tactician & leader

Ronaldo is a harbinger of pain. He finds unspeakable pleasure in seeing gloom ooze from the faces of his victims: the stubborn goalie, whose near imperviousness is a hindrance to his greatness; the defenders, whose defiance only makes him strong; and the opposing fans, whose collective roar is meant to insult his persona.

Image credit: "Real Madrid v Sevilla February 10, 2013 C 8" by LauraHale

Ronaldo is an athlete primed for greatness thanks to his naturally ingrained physical capabilities. The merciless Portuguese forward is a highly respected game architect and leader for Real Madrid and his national team.

Since he joined Manchester United, his goal-scoring records have simply continued to explode, making soccer pundits reconsider their long held belief as to who is really the greatest given the amount of awesomeness they are witnessing from this super athlete they call "CR7".

Superlatives

“If Messi is the best on the planet, Ronaldo is the best in the universe”. Strong words coming from an authority of the sport, José Mourinho, who is a Portuguese football manager and former footballer who now manages Chelsea.

Hearing testimonies like this only reinforces the longstanding conviction about a man hailed as the most expensive futbol player that ever lived.

Soccer-lobotomized Madrid fans are treated to large doses of the bliss serum each time Ronaldo blasts the ball past his opponent’s hapless body and into the stoic net. If there’s anything the Cosmos can muster to satisfy the inner soul of these brainwashed fanatics, it’s seeing their god disguised as a footballer vanquish the enemy.

“Ronaldo is a unique player for all of his professionalism and talent. He is extraordinarily consistent,” Carlo Ancelotti, an Italian football manager and former footballer who currently manages Spanish La Liga side Real Madrid

On relevance & being immortal

Indeed, plaudits are not hard to come by for Ronaldo even in the midst of madness, conformity and ever-changing complexion of the sport that is stacked with equally mighty players all aspiring for immortality.

Ronaldo worked his way to the top, starting a career with Andorinha, a small club from his bailiwick where his dad worked as a kit man. Sporting Clube de Portugal, then among the greatest soccer organizations in his hometown, spotted him playing at the tender age of 11 and that is when his rise to stardom began.

Image credit: Илья Хохлов/Ilya Khokhlov/Ilja Chochłow

He has an unappeasable hunger for goals, a very imposing physical asset, cat-quick reflex and agility, lethal weaponry in both legs and he is also deadly in delivering the ball to its destination with his head – figuratively and physical – all of which sets him apart and make him a perennial nightmare for opposing defenders.

Inspiration & redemption

Ronaldo has firmly erected his name as one of the leading scorers in the history of the club and, gauging from his latest exploits in and outside the arena, wants to make his already-exceptional resume even more impressive with the finest club the modern era has ever seen.

This man – who is oftentimes faulted for his emotional breakdowns, misunderstood by people with nary an iota of the passion and never-say-die attitude running through his veins when trying to push his comrades to fight tooth and nail on every competition – is a product of a generation that longs for a genuine hero.

In him, they are inspired...

Through him, they find redemption.

JET ENCILA is a freelance writer and journalist based in Davao City, Philippines. He has written countless articles and online content for both local and foreign publications.