It's all about Ronaldo's very high standard set in the past though, isn't it?

His performance in the Croatia game was quite disturbing to watch - not only did he seem to lack the immense skill which made him the best player in the world before the 1998 World Cup final, but he didn't look at all interested, or even healthy.

He was better today - there was one nice flick, and the simple set-up for Adriano wasn't bad, but again he really didn't look mobile, he didn't seem to be reading the game at all well and for the most part he displayed the touch of a drunken rapist.

People aren't knocking Ronaldo because they *want* to knock him - there's nothing most football fans would want to see more than Ronaldo playing like he did in the mid-to-late Nineties, it was absolutely incredible. But it's clearly not going to happen, and it looks like the Brazilians are going to have to drop him - Robinho looked far sharper, more motivated and more skilful, and carved the Australian defence apart for the second goal.

A far more interesting argument would be - Who's had the worst World Cup so far between Ronaldo and Michael Owen?

Posted By: Ottosson Foxtrot, Jun 18, 19:01:52