Greed and vanity pitiful players in Ronaldo saga

Sports writer

Wednesday 5 September 2012

Cristiano Ronaldo will value the attention.

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Richard Wilson

Every footballer must nourish their ego, but there has never been any doubt that the Portuguese attacker has an extravagant craving for appreciation. His actions last Sunday, when he refused to celebrate his two goals against Grenada then told reporters afterwards that he is "sad", were typically self-centred, and generated headlines and comments across the world. The desire to be a pre-eminent figure is the player's defining feature, but there should be little surprise that it results in the occasional strop.

Sir Alex Ferguson's lasting achievement was moulding Ronaldo's individuality into a form that would most benefit his team. The player's early spell at Manchester United was a flurry of feints and tricks, many of which were futile, but the latter years brought sustained and decisive brilliance. There was always a sense of showmanship, but Ronaldo's drive to become the greatest player of his generation was not a wholly selfish act when it resulted in such a pronounced work ethic and commitment to self-improvement. United were also the beneficiaries.His behaviour at the weekend has to be seen in the context of this perpetual self-indulgence. Ronaldo spoke of a "professional" concern that people within Real Madrid were aware of. It has been interpreted as the act of an agitator, and wilder theories raised the possibility of a bid being launched for the player by Manchester City. Along with Paris St-Germain, they are the only clubs with the kind of money it would take to capture a footballer whose buy-out clause is £800m and who would demand peerless wages.Those kinds of sums would appease his sense of conceit. Ronaldo was flattered when City made less than discreet enquiries about a possible transfer in August last year, but the reality of Madrid's desire to retain a player who is under contract until 2015, and UEFA's Financial Fair Play initiative, make any moves unlikely. He also waited until the transfer window was closed before making his discontent known, and there is surely no coincidence that he also attended a meeting with Florentino Perez, the Madrid president, last Thursday. Ronaldo's agent, Jorge Mendes, was also quick to add to the player's remarks on Sunday.The appearance is of a concerted effort. Ronaldo is paid around £10m per year, but there are complications to any negotiations over a new contract. Spain has abolished the tax loophole that allowed highly-paid foreign workers to pay lower rates, and the player himself is adamant that he should be the world's highest-paid footballer – an accolade currently held by Samuel Eto'o, the Anzhi Makhachkala striker who receives £325,000 per week.The figures are grossly excessive, and the kind of vanity that compels individuals to measure their worth in such disproportionate terms is ignorant of the realities of a recession that continues to trouble countries across the world, including Spain. Ronaldo deserves to be rewarded for honing his talent to such a degree that only Lionel Messi challenges him for recognition as the best player in the world, and he is now 10th on Real Madrid's list of goalscorers, with 150, after just three seasons at the Santiago Bernabeu. His methods are unlikely to gain approval among team mates or supporters, though.Ronaldo's narcissism is explicit, but the player is a complex mix of ambition, talent and self-absorption. There must be an element of greed, too, in demanding such rewards. In truth, though, the player is not seeking wealth but status. He wants to be unequalled.

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Greed and vanity pitiful players in Ronaldo saga

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