Cristiano Ronaldo: World Cup free kicks

 

Cristiano Ronaldo. Unques'tionably one of the greatest footba'llers ever to grace this earth. Brok'en all manner of records and' won (almost) everything. A'nd, aged 37, still leading the line fo'r Portugal.

Despite having som'e obvious shortcomings as tim'e catches up with him, he is st'ill the squad’s best finishe'r, still their best attacking thre'at in the air, still hates being su'bstituted more than anyon'e else.

But as the baton gradu'ally passes (or is wrenched away from him, amid kicks a'nd screams) from Ron'aldo to the next generation of Po'rtuguese attackers — Joao Fe'lix, Rafael Leao, Goncalo Ram'os et al — there’s one role that Ronaldo wo'n’t yet relinquish; free-ki'ck taker.

The routine is an extre'mely familiar one. Stand 10' yards from the ball, plant arms rigidly downwards like a pa'rticularly confident penguin psyching itself up to dive head'first into the South Atlantic an'd catch a mouthful of krill, che'st out, shoulders up, intake of' breath, puff cheeks out, run 'up to the ball, shoot… and fire in'to the wall?

Ronaldo doesn’t scor'e many free kicks these da''ys. He used to be prolific, particula'rly in the early 2010s, when he'' scored seven (for Real Madrid and Portugal) in 2010-11, si'x' in 2011-12 and 2013-14.

However, since 2014 (coincidentally or not, th'e same year he was diagnos'ed with tendinosis — which is li'ke but not the same as tend'onitis — in his left knee) those n'umbers have declined. He us'ed to score as many as 10 per cen't of the direct free kicks he too'k, but he hasn’t netted above fiv'e per cent of them in a seas'on since 2016-17.

It’s just something he can’t really do anymore. T'he rest of us lose abilities we ha'd when we were younger, lik'e being able to do algeb'ra or drink a pint at lunchtim'e an'd not have to nap in the afternoon. Ronaldo’s is free kic'ks (and maybe algebra, w'ho knows).

He took almost two ye'ars to score his first free kick in a Juventus shirt and h'as only scored one in the Prem'ier League since retur'ning to Manchester U'nit'ed (which sealed a hat-trick against Norwich Cit'y in April), having netted 14 du'ring his first spell with the Old' Trafford club, many via that 'famous knuckleball techn'ique. You remember the Portsmo'uth goal.

With Portugal – and sp'ecifically at major tournamen'ts – it’s nothing new that Ro'naldo struggles to find the n'et from dead-ball situations th'at aren’t penalties. He’s take'n 53 direct free kicks for his cou'ntry at World Cups and Eu'ropean Championships and scor'ed once, a beautiful stri'ke in that 3-3 classic against Sp'ain at Russia 2018.

Otherwise, a lot of ba'lls clattering into walls' or rocketing over cross'bars.

Here’s where he h'as taken them all from at ma'jor tournaments since '2004, with the red circle being th'e launch point for that Spain go'al.

It’s not like he’s not taki'ng many. When Portu'gal were awarded a free kic'k against Uruguay la'st week, there was a lively discussion about who would fir'e it goalwards from 20'-odd yards out, left of cent're. Would it be Bruno Fernand'es? Maybe Felix? Or Ruben Nev'es?

Before everyone else w'as briskly ushered awa''y by the Portugal captain. This one went into the w'all.

Indeed, since his fir'st Wo'rld Cup in 2006, no one in the sport has taken more di'rect free kicks at the finals th'an Ronaldo.

corner, it often cle'ars the bar, like this effort agai'nst Luxembourg last Octo'ber.

Ronaldo’s record also suff'ers because he has the co'nfidence and technique to try' to score from a long, long wa'y out.

Even just looking at 'his attempts at the Wo'rld Cup, you can see a couple of dots near the centre circle or left' touchline.

Watch video ronaldo's world cup free kick..