Gods Silva is ueless. He can't even run anymore, ffs.

Anyobody want Gallas for free?

Man U is very impressive with their reserve midfield.  3-0 at HT, spurs game all over again?

Arsenal owned by United and Liverpool is pure sh!t

Er. What did Eboue do?

Aren't you supposed to hate United as well?

FT United 4-0 Arsenal. Could have been about 7 if Park didn't play, he's useless.

ahahahaahahahaaaha         

4 smileys for 4 goals

Intersting how such trashing will effect Arsenal players for Wednesday

I don't like doing this, but...Click and cry...

Makes this evenings result seem...trivial don't it?

I don't like doing this, but...Click and cry...

Makes this evenings result seem...trivial don't it?

Then again, Man City are the most overhyped team in history.

Ha-ha!  You really do have a thing for them!

I don't like them. I never did but I like Eriksson a lot!

Sven is one of the very few things that I don't mind about them.

They broke the rules to sign Benjani, they do not play as a team, they dive all over the place, they are very lazy and play horribly boring football.

What's to like? 

What has this to do with anything? Believe me, there are much more huge defeats any Milan fan can show about Arsenal. And that's because Milan and Arseanal are not of the same calibre. If you are in Milan forum, be ready that some people will be laughing about Arsenal (or any other team) because of a simple fact that this is a Milan forum without many fans of other teams besides Milan. Same on Arsenal forum (or any other) about Milan

I don't like doing this, but...Click and cry...

Makes this evenings result seem...trivial don't it?

Locke is a sore loser 

If you aren't, you may as well not follow sports in my opinion. 

Blog: Number Ron

Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo has insisted that he is now the world’s best player ahead of Milan ace Kaka – and Richard Godden agrees with him

“I don’t need to demonstrate that I am the No 1 in the world. You really see who is best from the work you do over the nine months of the season and if I am named the best in the world, it won’t be a surprise to me.” Big words from Cristiano Ronaldo, the man who lost out to Kaka when it came to the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards in 2007. But I feel that they are perfectly justified.

For me, the Portuguese winger has been the best player in the world since the 2006 World Cup. Slowly but surely, he is following Thierry Henry’s path of transforming from a flying wide-man to one of the best centre-forwards on the planet. Make no mistake about it, the former Sporting Lisbon ace can no longer be described as a winger – anyone who regularly watches Manchester United can testify to that, while the stats show over 20 goals next to his name with the assists column well below 10.

Kaka, meanwhile, remains a wonderful talent. He has the unique ability of being quicker with the ball than without it, while the way in which he caresses the ball to teammates or, as we became accustomed last term, into the back of the net is a joy to watch. But luck was certainly on his side in 2007.

When he and Ronaldo faced off in the semi-finals of the Champions League, it was billed as a battle to see who was the best player in the world. But it was not a fair tussle. Carlo Ancelotti ensured that his man was as fresh as a daisy, while Sir Alex Ferguson had no option but to play his star man each week as the Old Trafford outfit were fighting to repeat their treble success of 1999.

To put it into context, it would be like two boxers tussling for a world title with one of them granted six months off after their last fight, while the other is forced into action just a month before the big fight. Inevitably, Kaka came out on top. When Milan completed the job by winning the Champions League, there was only ever going to be one winner when the end of year award ceremonies took place.

Now Ronaldo is in pole position to snatch the big prizes in 2008, providing he stays fit as it doesn’t look likely that his form will drop off. Few people can argue that he is on top of the world at present, with only Zlatan Ibrahimovic really offering any resistance. Then again, if Inter go all the way in the Champions League, perhaps it will be another year of disappointment for the Portuguese No 7. But that debate will have to wait for another blog…


Have your say on this issue. Email us at: fieditorial@channel4.com

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Cristiano Ronaldo is no doubt an outstanding talent. But to label him No 1 in the world is going a little too far. Especially when it is just days after Portugal played Italy in a friendly and we got too see his true colours when the opposing team actually plays some defence against him. He was certainly frustrated.
The player that has been the best during and/or since the 2006 World Cup is Andrea Pirlo. Italy won the World Cup because of Pirlo. Milan won the Champions League because of him. He has scored or set up so many important goals at both club and international level. I often think of Pirlo as the Steve Nash of soccer. Steve Nash is, of course, the amazing point guard of the NBA's Phoenix Suns. They both run the offence and are outstanding at passing and can also score goals.
I would also select Zlatan Ibrahimovic over Ronaldo simply because he has been a monster in both the Champions League and Serie A, and because I feel he offers even more than Ronaldo. Ibrahimovic is the best passing big man I've ever seen. Ronaldo thrives in the Premership because he is a great counter-attacker (like Kaka). In Serie A there are not as many counter-attack opportunities and therefore that is why Kaka doesn't look as good as Ronaldo.
Jim Riggio, California

Best player in the world you say? If so, where was he in the international friendly against Italy, or against Man City this past weekend for that matter? As far as being better than Kaka, in my opinion a player should withhold self-prophecies of greatness until he has at least won a handful of World Cup or Champions League medals. Slotting a free-kick (granted a great strike) past an ageing English goalkeeper should not automatically make you the best player in the world.
Kaka single-handedly Milan won the Champions League for Milan last year, whilst at the same time displaying the humility of a Saint by applauding the efforts of his teammates for their contribution. These are the characteristics of a world champion. Not the arrogant swagger we see every time Ronaldo scores against the likes of Derby County.
mich.g.stradiotto

Ronaldo will have to perform in a big game before he can truly be the best. He was conspicuously ineffective in the Euro 2006 Final, the World Cup semi-final and the Champions League matches against Milan. Even Wednesday night's match against Italy, where the only touch of the ball he got right was from the two free-kicks showed he still has a bit to learn before he can turn his enthusiasm into a mature performance against strong defences. The difference between a Ballon d'Or and a good player is the ability to turn up for the matches that count.
Mike Messina

I'd like to start off by saying C Ronaldo is a great player and a joy to watch, as is Kaka. But year after year there has been one player who i would place at the top of the footballing tree. This player is so under-rated and over-looked by your average football fan. His unique touches on the ball, his superb passing, just the way the ball is glued to his feet while some low life is trying to tackle him, and not to mention his excellent footballing vision. He is so calm and laid back with the ball at his feet. I really don't know what Milan or Italy would do without him. If you still don't know whom I'm talking about, it's the GREAT Andrea Pirlo. Come on, respect this fantastic player.
Gino

To be honest, your article does not make sense to me and you’re just trying to make excuses. There was an article on another website with the headline: ‘Debate: who is better Kaka or Ronaldo?’ And the writer of the topic wrote the opposite of what you did.
Kaka' was, still and will be better until Kaka' loses his spark. It is simple really. Like Platini said, prove it on big stage. I have never seen Ronaldo play well against big teams in England or Champions league. I saw him against Liverpool and Manchester City and he was horrible, even against Arsenal. In the Champion League, Oddo and Gattuso cancelled him out of the game and please don’t tell me it is because Milan rested players. Kaka' was scoring goals in the Champions League since the first game. Is it lucky that he scored three goals against Manchester United? How? The three goals were all world-class goals.
It is the problem of English media, just like when they said that the free-kick Ronaldo scored against Pompey was the best ever. It really makes me laugh. Oh and I forgot, if anyone watched Italy v Portgual, just tell me what you think of Oddo's defending against Ronaldo although Oddo is not having his best season with Milan?
They say the truth hurts, and I am sorry but everyone in the world (apart from English people apparently) know that Kaka' is far better.
KSE545

I have to completely and utterly disagree with this blog for two reasons:
A) Cristiano Ronaldo has not got the ability to win a big game on a huge stage that Kaka has. As poor as Brazil were at the World Cup, Kaka was still class. Ronaldo was poor throughout the tournament and looked out of place against the quality defences. Ronaldo failed to perform in arguably the two biggest games of his career, in the Champions League last season, whereas Kaka ran the show, and in the FA Cup, where he was nothing but a spectator. Kaka scores week in week out in Italy, where defences are more tactically aware and stronger throughout the League. Ronaldo scores a massive majority of his goals from set pieces and penalties in the Premiership, where defences still have a lot to learn. Kaka proved this by tearing apart the best defence in the Prem and even Inzaghi, who cannot score anywhere near regularly in Serie A, netted twice against Liverpool, the second best defence in the Prem.
B. The men who voted for the player of the year award are the most in-the-know men in football. With all due respect, a journalist cannot see the things that a football manager, who has lived his life through football, can. The men who are asked to vote for this award know far more about football and what makes a good player than anybody else on the planet. To argue with this decision would be like arguing with Einstein about Physics – nobody has a right to do it!
Giuseppe Sarro, Peterborough

Anyone and everyone's entitled to have an opinion, but the fact Ronaldo might score a double and set up Rooney for a couple more at home to Bolton doesn't make him better than Kaka, an unparalleled big match player.
You only have to look at the semi-final at Old Trafford last season, and the subsequent second leg at the San Siro, where Ronaldo went missing on both occasions, but Kaka tore it to shreds. Again on the weekend in a big game, Ronaldo went missing. Kaka's a big match player, Ronaldo isn't.
Stefan.

I think this is a terribly poor article. It does no justice to the importance of Kaka to Milan's Champions League winning season. It also forgets the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo, despite being a truly great player, never really performs for United or Portugal when they really need him in a tight 0-0 game where any sort of moment of magic is needed Ronaldo is nowhere to be seen. Sure he can perform week in week out in the Premiership at a frantic pace where tactical nouse is non-existent and speed of attack is the order of play, but when faced with a Gattuso type player marking him only, he struggled to make any impact at all. Not too mention the ancient Milan defence should have been sitting ducks for him as many predicted. Kaka is the best in the world despite playing in a League where he normally has an opponent tighter to him than his own shirt! His performances in the biggest games are testament to this, and the writers, managers and his fellow professionals clearly agree. The article sounds like someone jumping on a bandwagon, let’s see what happens when it gets to the pressure part of the season.
Luigi Mallozzi

You are insane Mr Godden. Legends never relax. They play and play and win. Please don’t make excuses for Ronaldo's **** display against Milan. He is a total **** even against above average defenders like Richard Dunne. He is of no use when playing for national team. And it was proved last Wedneshday again. He was totally undone by Massimo Oddo. Don't make stupid comments like "Ferguson played Ronaldo week and week out, unlike Ancelotti who rested Kaka.” I dont care to argue much with you, because arguing with a chicken brain is more stupid. I think you better wash your wife's clothes and be a better man then…
Dennis

C Ronaldo is pure talent, you can’t deny that. The only thing he is missing is maturity. Without maturity, you cannot be on the same level as the game's greatest players.
Tony De Angelis

Only God Knows who gave Mr Godden the pen to write when all he does is join a bandwagon of English media clowns to proclaim Ronaldo as the best player in the world just cuz he scores goals against rubbish teams. We know all this is happening this season cuz Messi has been injured for a while.
But is Zlatan not playing better> And the writer’s analysis of the number of games Ronaldo played in comparison to Kaka’s doesn’t even make sense at all. One thing u should know is that big players come alive in the big games even if they have been playing everyday.
If you don’t have anything meaningful to write about why don’t you just hold your pen? I am calling your knowledge of the game into question Mr Godden. Do you even watch Serie A? See what Pirlo is doing? Ronaldo does the same as what Robinho does at Madrid, but he’s just over hyped. Put him against real defenders and lets see him display his stuff.
Oluwafemi Temidayo

Cristiano Ronaldo may do well in the Premier League where it is easier to score goals than in the Italian or Spanish Leagues, but when he is up against the big guns in Europe he does not fare as well. He's a great player, but not of the magnitude of Kaka who can control a game against the big guns. When Man U faced off against Milan last year, Kaka showed his superior skills. Ronaldo's pretty little moves and step-overs were no match for Kaka's efficiency.
Mike G

As good as Cristiano Ronaldo may be, he was foolish to blow his own trumpet and describe himself as the best player in the world. He is an important player for Manchester United but he is definitely not the world’s No 1.
I don’t understand how you can put Kaka’s triumph in the player awards down to luck and then suggest Ronaldo will win it next year because he has scored 20 goals so far this season or speculate that he will win it if United win the Champions League.
I will leave the Big-Ticket debating points aside for this, but I honestly think Ronaldo’s self gloating will only see his plans for winning the best player accolade become hostage to fortune. Also, you question the legitimacy of the arrangement in which Kaka won his deserved awards but it seems as if you have been shouted down.
Ronaldo needs to show the world he deserves to be No 1 not just the Premier League, he has not done anything for his country, apart from knock England out of major tournaments with some cheeky penalties. He never seems to rise up to the big occasion but rather hideaway behind his teammates, Kaka on the other hand plays well whether it’s a Coppa Italia game against some minnows or the Champions League Final.
In an age where past football legends seem to have burnt to embers there is only one true great who is the world’s No 1 and his name is Kaka, the player is the **** of the walk, it’s as simple as that.
Salvatore Landolina, London.

How could you honestly believe that this man is the No 1 player in the world? What has this man achieved besides scoring 20 goals in a League with the worst defence in the world? Kaka single handedly gave Milan the Champions League title and helped them to become World Club Champions!
To make up excuses that poor Ronaldo played more than Kaka leading up to that game is a sad excuse. Kaka played a better game because he is a better player! In the friendly against Italy last week how well did Ronaldo do? I watched him take on two or three players only to lose the ball or deliver dismal crosses along the ground, besides that was he on the field? He is not a team player, he plays for himself! The whole Portugal team seems to play in this way and they were given a lesson against the world champions...
Kaka on the other hand plays for his team! As you mentioned in your article: "He has the unique ability of being quicker with the ball than without it, while the way in which he caresses the ball to teammates.” This is what makes a great player, not someone who can take on two or three players and score how we all thought the game was played when we were 13...
Further more has this young man heard of the word modesty? I'm glad that you referred to him as a boxer because he has the same big mouth and pig headed mentality of one. Have you ever heard Kaka say those words? Or have you heard Roger Federer (the greatest tennis player we have ever seen) express himself in that way? I think not!
Don't get me wrong Ronaldo is a fine player but I think he will be waiting more than "another year" before he matures enough to deserve this honour. Maybe when Kaka retires. Along with Messi!
Nick Grieco

Well obviously everyone in this blog disagress with the writer. Excuses, excuses that is all what we hear from Man Utd fans and they still try to invent new ones as the days pass. It is true though, Ronaldo is better than Kaka in dribbles and stuff but there is only one player who you can depend on in big occasions and that is Kaka. Ronaldo always fail to shine at big games and until he fixes that shortcoming he won't get any prize (if the evaluators are just). Ronaldo isn't a match decider, he scores a lot but if his goals come in crucial matches then it would be better for him and Man Utd but we all know that he doesn't do that. He is entertaining, but I'd rather have Kaka any day and I think Fergie thinks that as well.
Mon

All I would add to this debate is that you cannot be the best player in the world if you are always useless against the top teams. Ronaldo may rip apart and score goals galore against the likes of Derby, Fulham and Wigan but as soon as he comes up against a decent team/defence/defender he does absolutely nothing. All the big matches and big knockout games he has ever played in – e.g Champions League v Milan, Euro 2004 Final, World Cup quarter-final, semi-final and even the matches against Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea he has consistently flopped! A great player plays well in the matches that really matter. Ronaldo doesn't do this! I don't know if you watched him against Italy last week, but he was awful. Oddo who has been awful this season completely marked him out of the game. Ronaldo is a great talent, but I’m starting to have serious doubts that he can cut it when he plays against good defenders and more specifically in tight and tactical matches!
Carlo Garganese

Your reasoning is unconvincing. If Kaka outplays Ronaldo because he was fitter, that’s not a weakness for the Brazilliian. It’s the genius of his Coach. Also, Kaka didn't make himself No 1. He was voted so by his peers, Coaches and journalists all over the world
Rohan Bell

The people who are criticising Ronaldo are allowing their opinion of him as a person to cloud their judgement of him as a player. If he has, in the words of some, done nothing at international level then why was he in the Team of the Tournament for both Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006? The only two tournaments he has played in... He was man of match in the game against France in the World Cup semi, is that not a big game? What has Kaka done at international level, other than withdraw from the Copa America last summer and play two minutes of their 2002 World Cup victory?
Alan Woods

I completely disagree with Mr Godden. Kaka has nothing to prove to anyone anymore, he produces performances of the highest standard against the top teams on the biggest stages of world football, C Ronaldo has not reached that ability yet.
He gives Man of the Match performances against teams like Derby, Wigan, Portsmouth and Dynamo Kiev, but once he comes up against the Liverpools, Arsenals Chelseas and Milans , he just goes missing and Mr Godden’s excuse of C Ronaldo having to play week in week out is nonsense.That’s his job.
We seen yet again in the past 10 days Italy played Portugal in a high tempo friendly... Did we see much of C Ronaldo - no. Will he produce it in Euro 2008, I doubt it. I’m afraid there’s only one Ronaldo in the world and that’s El Phonemum. By the way, Forza Napoli
Sean Mckevitt, Ireland

Regardless who was fresh and who wasn't, you have to win a big trophy to be the best player in the world. In 1994 Brazil faced Italy in the World Cup Final in USA, Brazil won that match and became world champion and Romario was selected as the best player in the same year because of this big achievement, if Italy had won that Final then there is no doubt that they would pick Roberto Baggio as the best player in the world. It is all about achievements. You might dribble the ball better than others, maybe you're faster than other players, maybe you can back heel the ball 1000 times in one match, but if there is no trophy at the end then it is like show business, you just entertained the crowd with couple of moves that's it nothing more!
Watching Cristiano Ronaldo playing is extreme joy I admit it, but Kaka is more effective, moreover he plays consistently with almost same performance in Italy, Europe and Brazil unlike Cristiano who is unbeatable only in the English Premier League.
Abdul

There is no doubt Ronaldo is a decent player, but the only thing he is No 1 at is in his ability to dive and draw fake penalties. Watching him fly, dive and roll in the 2006 World Cup was embarrassing, particularly in the game against the Netherlands. I have since noticed similar antics in his Champion's League games as well as in his last game in the national shirt against Italy. He is a brat who thinks he is better than everyone else, and when he is defended properly he resorts to scowling and yelling over referee calls or simulating fouls.
It is easy to score as many goals as he does when is played as often as he is, especially in matches against much lesser opponents. Most significantly though, the number of goals scored is not always what determines how good a player is. I do not see Ronaldo as a player who contributes much as the ‘glue’ that holds either Manchester United or Portugal together. Others, such as Kaka, Pirlo, or Totti are much more complete players in this respect.
Gio

I have to completely agree with all of the comments here. Ronaldo is nowhere to be seen in the big games. Furthermore, his contribution in the Premiership is patchy. I was watching clips of Gianfranco Zola's last season for Chelsea when he was 10 years older than Ronaldo is now and he was sensational. Did Zola go around saying he was a legend? The man was a gent, a great and humble footballer. Ronaldo has a lot to learn. There are plenty of players around who are better than him, maybe he should look and learn.
Gerard

Am I the only football fan in the world who sees no fun in one-on-one challenges? I mean, the game is played by teams, not individuals, but anytime it comes to Cris Ronaldo v Kakà, Del Piero v Totti or Ronaldinho v Zidane, both fans arise against the opposite one. I truly love the game and I'm simply not able to decide who to throw down the tower, between Ronaldo's tricks and Kakà's speedy accelerations from the midfield to the box.
Come on, let's enjoy both, without being blinded by our love for a team or another. I thank my friend Rich for spreading a debate that will surely interest many of our readers – on both sides – but scrolling down comments I think there should be more respect for each other's opinion. In the end, every opinion has its point, unless you only talk about achievements. In that case, Kakà would win. But is football only about that?
Lorenzo Zacchetti, Eurocalcio Editor, Milan

Ronaldo touting himself as the world's best player provokes memories of Paul Ince proclaiming himself 'The Guvnor'. Truly great players let their football do the talking! Cristiano Ronaldo is stronger, quicker and better in the air than Kaka. He is undeniably more physically gifted. He is also less intelligent with the ball and, in turn, less effective. While there is no denying that the boy has been a great player for United over the last couple of seasons, his tricks are often pointless, gratuitous and at times plain ridiculous! Everything Kaka does has a reason, whether it be to beat the man, make the pass or score a goal.
Ronaldo still often seems somewhat proccupied with being the peforming seal rather than just trying to win the game. Obviously we all want to be entertained, but are you telling me Kaka's not entertaining?! If I want to see 'keepie uppies', I can tune into some 12-year-old kid on You Tube who is infinitely more entertaining!
> Now don't get me wrong. The boy is already a better player that I ever thought he would be after his first season, and I'm sure I'm not on my own. I just think he needs to do a little more on the pitch and a little less with his mouth before being 'up there'. If he went to Italy and played as well over there, that would impress me. Who knows? Maybe this summer will be his tournament.
Simon, Mansfield

In 20 games against the top three teams in the League (i.e. Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool) Ronaldo has only scored three goals and probably made as many assists. He had a miserable World Cup, his only contribution was a penalty against mighty Iran. As for this well rested nonsense, Ronaldo played 2794 minutes in the League last season, Kaka' played 2657. I'm sure those extra 137 minutes made all the difference! In big games Ronaldo goes missing.
It's laughable that, despite almost a decade of FAILURE, an English based journalist is talking up Manchester United's chances of success in Europe. Since winning the competition in 1999 they've only reached the semi-finals ONCE and in clashes against the big European teams (Real Madrid, Bayern, Juve and Milan) their record is four wins, three draws and seven losses and out of seven ties they only progressing through to the next round once!
R Mehdi, Middlesbrough

Sorry, but this issue is quite big nonsense. "When he and Ronaldo faced off in the semi-finals of the Champions League, it was billed as a battle to see who was the best player in the world. But it was not a fair tussle. Carlo Ancelotti ensured that his man was as fresh as a daisy, while Sir Alex Ferguson had no option but to play his star man each week as the Old Trafford outfit were fighting to repeat their treble success of 1999."
I guess if you read this one must think Alex Ferguson is the most stupid Coach on the planet. Do you really think he believed you can do anything against a team like milan when your men aren't fresh?! Cristiano Ronaldo was also fresh as a daisy in the semi-finals. He had enough rests and as a great young athlete he can take many games and recovers well quickly. If you look at the squad Alex Ferguson has, it is complete nonsense that Man U could not rest Ronaldo. With this team you should beat most of the Premier League teams without Ronaldo! By the way C Ronaldo recently asked Alex Ferguson to play him every match! ;-)
Kaka is definetely the better player. He is faster, more intelligent, a better shot and above all he is a greater personallity with the ability to lead a great team like milan or Brazil. C Ronaldo scores lots of goals right now. But to show that you are a great player you have to show that in the biggest matches against the biggest teams and not against Bolton, Portsmouth or Wigan! Just like Kaka did in the big clashes in the Champions League.
Kaka was already brilliant against Liverpool in the first Final and in all the big games in the Champions League. C Ronaldo didn't show anything yet on this level. And if Man U blows the Premiership title against Arsenal and fails in the Champions League again C Ronaldo will not win any award. And that would be right, because with a team like Man U a great player must be able to lead this team to success.
Domorius

Anglo/Italian Debate: “Ronaldo Best In World” - Is The English Media Naïve?

The English press have made up their mind – Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world. Carlo Garganese asks if this proves just how naive the English media really is…

As a person who was born and educated in England, but has Italian parents and was largely brought up the ‘Italian way’, I am perhaps well placed to understand the difference between the English and Italian/continental way of thinking, not only in football, but in culture as a whole. 

Now I don’t want to sit here and preach that Italian is better as every country and culture is different. I just want to demonstrate, in reference to the Cristiano Ronaldo issue, the general lack of understanding of European football in the English media (and by this I don’t mean Goal.com which is an international website!). 

I was first bugged by this issue in about 1996/97. I was not even a teenager at the time but I was already stubborn enough to form my own opinions about football, and have scant regard for what much of the media said. 

Alan Shearer was proclaimed in the press as the undisputed best forward in the world. This really irritated me. “Shearer couldn’t possibly be better that Ronaldo, Roberto Baggio, George Weah, Davor Suker, Gabriel Batistuta e.t.c,” I thought to myself. 

Slowly but surely I formed an opinion that the English media really had a very poor, somewhat non-existent, understanding of the European or world game. If they did not then they would have known that the pragmatic Shearer didn’t deserve to be named in the same breath as these attackers. 

As the years passed my view was slowly reinforced. England took an early 2-0 lead in their first group game at Euro 2000 over Portugal, and the commentators on television were already proclaiming them as champions of Europe. Portugal came back to win 3-2 and England were eliminated in the group stages after conceding another three goals to Romania. 

Then of course you had the so-called ‘golden generation’ of English talent that went to Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006. The English media boasted repeatedly that they had the best team in the world in their possession and that they would bring home the trophy. 

After all they had the best left-back in the world Ashley Cole, the best centre-backs John Terry and Rio Ferdinand, the best centre midfielders in Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, and the best support striker in Wayne Rooney. 

Following a simply disastrous tournament when England displayed all of their innate technical deficiencies, manager Sven-Goran Eriksson was slated for throwing away this golden generation of talent. It was all his fault. 

Of course this was absolutely ridiculous. Steve McClaren’s subsequent stint as manager, coupled with Eriksson’s work at Manchester City, has proven that the Swede actually did an excellent job, and in reaching three quarter-finals he actually punched above England’s weight. In truth this has probably been accepted now by most people, although many of the lessons, as we will soon see, have still not been learned. 

My point though is that the English media makes ridiculous statements, such as “Alan Shearer is the best striker in the world”, and that “England are going to win the World Cup”, and unfortunately the majority of the nation, as is the power of the press and broadcast, are brainwashed into believing it.  You are what you are taught after all. 

The most recent of these preposterous declarations is that Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world. 

Once again, referring back to first Shearer and then the World Cup, this belief is only present due to a complete lack of understanding of the European game. 

Ronaldo may have smashed in 27 goals this season, however as Gil Gillespie correctly pointed out in his Who Is Better – Kaka Or Ronaldo article, how can a player who has almost always flopped whenever he has come up against a top team/defence/defender, or in a big match, possibly be regarded as the best player in the world. 

It is ignorance such as this that is so frustrating. 

Only on Sunday I was watching a programme called ‘Sunday Supplement’ on Sky Sports. For those of you who don’t know, this is a weekly show that includes the chief football writers from all of the top newspapers in England; The Guardian, The Times, The Daily Mail e.t.c. 

These are the so-called experts of English footballing journalism, the people that the country ‘should’ look up to for their knowledge and understanding of the game. 

One of the chief writers, whose name I will not disclose, incredibly claimed that Ashley Cole was the best left back in the world (ironically he used Cole's fine defensive record against Cristiano Ronaldo as a basis for his argument). The rest of the panel did not disagree. 

My first reaction was shock, my second reaction was to switch off the television, then my third reaction was “actually I want to hear some more gems such as these.” 

I immediately had flashbacks to 1997 and Alan Shearer. I mean Ashley Cole is so clearly better than the likes of Gianluca Zambrotta, Philipp Lahm, Maxwell, Eric Abidal and so on. For me personally, Ashley Cole is not even the best left-back at his own club, let alone the world.    

Until the English media begins to grasp a better understanding of the European and World game I fear that the same age-old football problems that have plagued this country in recent years will always be present. 

The top journalists may have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the domestic game, but their grasp of continental football (unlike the journalists in Italy and other European countries) is frankly embarrassing. 

Carlo Garganese

I really don't get what this whole anti-Ronaldo thing is all about.

Some people, like this idiot, will have to realise football is a matter of opinion. Nobody IS better than anybody. One person may think so, but it doesn't mean it's correct. If he had any facts of any sorts to back up his arguement, fair enough, but facts - in a weird sounding way - don't mean anything.

I really don't get what this whole anti-Ronaldo thing is all about.

Yes, it's very annoying that he is proclaiming himself to be the best player in the World, but he's right. People will have to learn to live with it.

And who is this Carlo guy to speak? Has he ever watched Alan Shearer play? This is the guy that scored 30+ EPL goals in 3 seperate seasons. Something Henry, Shevchenko and van Nistelrooy haven't done combined.

And if he thinks Wayne Bridge is better than Ashley Cole. Then I guess he must be a World class manager, too. Because Sven, Jose and Avram all disagree with him, so he must be even better than them, so what the hell's he doing writing articles!? Obviously he never saw Wayne Bridge vs Croatia - Most pathetic performace ever by an England defender.
Some people, like this idiot, will have to realise football is a matter of opinion. Nobody IS better than anybody. One person may think so, but it doesn't mean it's correct. If he had any facts of any sorts to back up his arguement, fair enough, but facts - in a weird sounding way - don't mean anything.

I'll just ignore whatever is related to who's the best from now on, it is simply ridiculous...