Hyderabad: The soccer world cannot be happier for Cristiano Ronaldo. Of course, the happiest person in the world is the star himself, often accused of being in love with himself, not to speak of his alleged selfishness on the football field.
But that is the price the greats pay, particularly when they are the leading player of a not so great side, in his case, Portugal. Stars in team games eternally suffer that label of playing for themselves.
The Real Madrid story is different, or at least it was although the Galacticos were not successful as a team last year despite the rich form of one of their own who scored 69 goals for club and country.
Both his nearest rivals won more trophies last year — Frank Ribery won a fantastic treble with Bayern Munich, now one of the soccer world's giants again and Messi won the La Liga with Barcelona.
There was only the consolation prize of Supercopa 2013 for Ronaldo. And yet there was no doubt Ronaldo was the footballer of the year even if most of his goal scoring was futile.
Lionel Messi, Ronaldo’s great opponent in the matter of the Ballon d’Or — the most coveted of sporting trophies even if it is the culmination of just a poll, albeit a universal one involving the best in the game — was injured in the latter part of 2013 and was unlikely to retain the award unless the world hated Ronaldo so much they were willing to forget his football feats.
But could judges sitting worldwide refuse to recognise the evidence of Ronaldo’s magical feats and his feet of magic?
Given the background of five years of losing football’s Oscar, it was an emotional night for Ronaldo, which just went to show how much he coveted the award since winning it last as a player in Manchester United colours back in 2008.
How many have won the award after being out of it for five years? Another reason why Ronaldo is to be considered an all-time great, although we know he usually figures quite low in the voting in of all-time greats.
For instance, in a World Soccer magazine poll for the greatest footballer ever Ronaldo got only seven votes — Maradonna (64), Johann Cruyff (58), Pele (56), Messi (48).
“It means a lot to win this after Eusébio’s passing,” Ronaldo said. “I dedicate this award to him and my team-mates. He was watching from the skies to see this great moment for a Portuguese player.
When I saw my mum crying it made me cry as well. I'm an emotional person. It is very difficult to win this award.”
You have to admire the man’s mental strength for overcoming so much antipathy from the public, from fellow players and from Fifa officials, including Sepp Blatter, the head of the caboodle, who ridiculed Ronaldo last year.
They hate his self-obsession, his near narcissistic behaviour off the pitch. But put him on the football field and he is fluent to the point of being poetry in motion. Consider his speed too as he makes those coruscating runs down the field.
That sight is enough to send a football fan's pulse racing. Last year, he was clocked covering 96 metres in 10 seconds flat. No wonder they call him the Usain Bolt of soccer.
The competition was so intense for the Ballon d’Or that the contenders Ronaldo and Messi would not vote for the other lest that one vote tilt the balance.
Ronaldo’s choices were Falcao, Bale and Mesut Ozil while Messi picked three from among Barcelona colleagues — Iniesta, Xavi and Neymar. Ribery was not among the voters since he is not captain of his country.
It has been heard said that some don’t rate Ronaldo because of his efficiency. They see him as a machine on the field who does not stir the soul because he does not seem so creative.
All this is in the eye of the beholder. There is little reason to doubt Ronaldo’s greatness as an all-round footballer, scoring with his head and his left foot and his brain to boot.
History may judge him as a genius, even if only a misunderstood one because his contemporaries refuse to see him without his warts.
