Is Cristiano Ronaldo Getting Too Famous for Alex Ferguson?

By: Daryl | January 25th, 2008

Cristiano Ronaldo is too famous No arguing with Cristiano Ronaldo’s game right now. Or for the last two seasons even. The man is such good form that it might not even be form. Maybe he’s simply that good. And I hope it continues, because he’s a pleasure to watch. But there’s reason to start worrying about C-Ron, because Alex Ferguson has a track record here. Fergie has had a string of golden boys, favourite players who seemed untuchable. But he eventually turned on and got rid of all of them. I’m thinking Jaap Stam, I’m thinking Ruud van Nistelrooy, I’m thinking David Beckham, I’m thinking Roy Keane. What’s to stop Cristiano Ronaldo joining that list?

One of the key reasons behind Fergie’s decision to sell David Beckham was the number seven’s ever-increasing celebrity. And I can see the same thing happening with Ronaldo as his fame grows out of control. Ronaldo is so famous now that Reading players were fighting over his shirt last week. C-Ron had traded shirts with Reading captain Graeme Murty after Man Utd’s 2-0 win, but someone swiped the sweaty garment while Murty was showering, provoking some serious threats. “Someone’s had it away and when I find out who it is, it’s going to be bloody,” Murty said. “It’s either a player, an apprentice or a member of staff but when I find out who it is there are going to be broken legs.”

Not only is Ronaldo’s fame reaching ridiculous heights (those Reading players fighting over his smelly game shirt are supposed to be his peers, not his teenage fan club) he’s also been getting more than his fair share of sleaze. There was the infamous poolside orgy at his mansion not so long ago, and yesterday a story emerged that C-Ron had sex with a girl he met at the Trafford Centre (massive mall/shopping centre in Manchester) without removing his sunglasses. So now he’s Jack Nicholson famous.

I doubt Fergie would tolerate this sort of behaviour from any other player. So how long before Fergie pulls the trigger and decides enough is enough? We discussed this on The Offside Podcast a week or so ago and the consensus was that Fergie was smart to let it slide at the moment because Ronaldo’s in such good form he’s basically unplayable. He’s a right winger and he’s the Premier League’s top scorer, which is insane, and makes him undroppable. But if Ronaldo’s form ever dips you can bet Fergie’s leniency will end. So somewhere down the line there could be an almighty clash of egos at Old Trafford.