La Liga - Madrid continue Ronaldo flirtation

Eurosport - Mon, 13 Oct 10:39:00 2008

Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster is hopeful that Cristiano Ronaldo will be wearing the Spanish giants' colours this time next year.

FOOTBALL Cristiano Ronaldo - 0

Madrid's pursuit of Ronaldo this summer was one of the most protracted and high-profile transfer sagas of recent years, but it ultimately ended in disappointment for the Spanish champions with the Portugal winger opting to remain at Manchester United.

The 23-year-old Ronaldo has made no secret of his desire to one day play for Madrid though, and Schuster believes a deal could be struck in 2009 for a player he feels should win the Ballon d'Or this year.

"I think that next year it is going to be a little more complicated for his club to retain him. There is hope that next year he could be with us," said Schuster.

"You need to do everything possible [to sign Ronaldo] because this player is worth it," added the German, who felt Madrid had a decent chance of landing Ronaldo this summer.

"Since the start I thought it was possible although difficult. Possible because the player really showed an interest," he said.

"His class, his position on the right wing and in other areas of the pitch, his work in attack..he would have been an important signing. He didn't come, but this is the team we have here now and we need to have complete faith in them."

Madrid's summer pursuit of Ronaldo came following a remarkable year of success for the Portuguese ace, who in helping United claim a Premier League and Champions League double struck a remarkable 42 goals.

For Schuster that should result in Ronaldo being rewarded with the Ballon d'Or - the award given to Europe's top footballer of the year - even though his own goalkeeper at Madrid Iker Casillas is also in the running to win the title.

"I think that this year Cristiano Ronaldo deserves it. He was the leading scorer in Europe with 42 goals, has won the league and Champions League... that should be sufficient," Schuster told Marca.

"He didn't do so well with the national team [at Euro 2008], but this was due to Spain and Germany.

"It's easy to say that Spaniards Iker and Xavi [should win it], but if you take into account the overall season you see that Cristiano is the one."

Sporting Life / Eurosport

Comment 1 - 18 of 38

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  1. They got Ruud, what, do they wait for ManU, actually many other teams, to train a player then try and @#$% them? Is Real Madrid that bad at training and creating players themselves that they just wait around for other teams to make ok players into great players then buy them? If they had gone for Ronaldo before Man did, I'm sure their scouts knew of him, do you think he would be just as good as he is now? buying established great players is good for a team but if that is all you do...

    From buda, on Sun 12 Oct 8:33PM

  2. Keep wishing, and wasting time on him....

    From ArmanyW, on Sun 12 Oct 8:02PM

  3. "I think that next year it is going to be a little more complicated for his club to retain him. There is hope that next year he could be with us," - talking like that will hopefully get this kraut in trouble

    From United, kids, wife, on Sun 12 Oct 7:54PM

  4. Ronaldo's stats in his first six years as a pro footballer( Sporting and MU ):
    270 matches(all competitions): 97 goals. Average: 16 goals per season !! Interesting !!

    From Tim, on Sun 12 Oct 7:33PM

  5. i wonder if john mcdougal08 or floodstoppa are man utd fans i dont think they are thats why they want ronaldo gone .what team do you support lads bet you dont let us know

    From DAZGGMU-RED-LEGEND-OF-YAHOO, on Sun 12 Oct 7:32PM

  6. let him go he needs to play some decent football at madrid floodstoppa is right

    From johnmcdougall08@..., on Sun 12 Oct 7:20PM

  7. let him go he needs to play some decent football at madrid floodstoppa is right

    From johnmcdougall08@..., on Sun 12 Oct 7:20PM

  8. billy&quotjames&quot you are nothing but bitter blues you are jealous of our success which is something you will never acheive you will never have a player as good as ronaldo and you know it so go and get knocked out of the uefa cup in the next round like you did against brighton and wigan ha ha nothing but bitter losers with no class

    From DAZGGMU-RED-LEGEND-OF-YAHOO, on Sun 12 Oct 6:39PM

  9. Jumbo what r u gonna do when the old fart retires who r u gonna run 2 then Mark Hughes.

    From floodstoppa@..., on Sun 12 Oct 6:39PM

  10. litl_pete who r u calling an idiot when u dont even no what position this "star ronaldo" plays in its not

    From floodstoppa@..., on Sun 12 Oct 6:36PM

  11. floodstoppa, you're an idiot. he isnt that good? 42 goals in one season is pretty damn good. scoring loads of goals is the mark of a great player. forwards are supposed to be greedy.

    From litl_pete, on Sun 12 Oct 5:50PM

  12. If he is that good, then why has he not moved on already ? Say what you like but Alex Fergie is good at bringing on players and he has done so well with most of those who have flourished under him. Just look at his Trophy Room under his reign there. There are a lot of others who should have gone by now, Ferdinand is one - he should have stuck to ballet dancing or dodging dope testing.

    From Jumbo, on Sun 12 Oct 5:47PM

  13. i dont see the point of all the fuss he isnt that good they think he is because he can do lots of tricks and scored loads of goals last season but why was that because he is greedy thats why rooney didnt get loads of goals last season.

    Anyway look at fernando Torres he scored a few less than ronaldo and he came through the middle of the season even when he passed the ball to people on the team not just keeping it 2 himself.

    From floodstoppa@..., on Sun 12 Oct 5:23PM

  14. he wont go real madrid cant afford him and man city you wont win anything money dosent buy you things

    From michael, on Sun 12 Oct 5:19PM

  15. City will be more poweful..even without ronaldo.hoohoo

    From kerbausama, on Sun 12 Oct 4:55PM

  16. Mr. City fan ... it's so obvious why you pissed at us the Champs ... it's because you have no silverware to be proud of and that implies loosers ... whenever you play us win or loose you get the Manure from us hahaha... And Ohhh let the bugger go we care less anyways ... we've always lived up to be the Champions of England and now Europe :-)
    City stinkkkksssssssssssssssss

    From Imad A, on Sun 12 Oct 4:52PM

  17. He wants to go, so, let him go. Get the winker out of the English Premier League

    From Lee D, on Sun 12 Oct 2:30PM

  18. Oh...Let him go...He Isn't worth it.

    From Minh, on Sun 12 Oct 1:46PM
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