There is not much I need to do to sell you all on Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s already done that himself. But the Portuguese megastar shocked the football world with a move to Juventus from Real Madrid last summer. As we ride on the dwindling reverberations of that transfer in terms of headlines, we ask some important questions on Ronaldo’s value. Exactly how much of an effect does having CR7 on your team make? More importantly, how costly was it to Real Madrid? or Manchester United? Was the cost worth it? What will it mean for Juventus? Looking at the most recent example, still ongoing, is Real Madrid’s season. As we approach matchweek 29 in La Liga, Real Madrid currently have 17 wins on the season. Through those 28 games, Real has scored 49 goals and conceded 32 goals. Los Merengues are on track to finish with 23 wins, 66 goals and 43 goals against. Compared to the rest of the league, it would be quite a successful season. But, it’s far below the standard set by the CR era. During Ronaldo’s nine seasons, Los Blancos held much higher production. Madrid averaged 28.2 wins per season, 106.6 goals per season, and 37.4 goals against per season with Ronaldo in the club.
Within this span, Ronaldo contributed to an average of 41% of the goals for Real each La Liga season. The time after Ronaldo’s exit is quite short, so we may have a better reading of Real Madrid’s response to the transfer in more time. However, signing Ronaldo proved to ramp up an already successful team. In the nine seasons before CR7 signed, Real averaged 22.8 wins, 75.7 goals, and 42.2 goals against per season in La Liga. The arrival of Ronaldo marked the next historical chapter in Los Blancos history following the age of the Galacticos. Real Madrid had already been a big club before they even caught wind of Cristiano Ronaldo. After a legendary nine seasons, it is indisputable that he is one of the most important figures in the history of the club. He did more than enough to prove it on the field. What lured Real Madrid into the CR madness was the Portuguese forward’s form at Manchester United. The Red Devils averaged 25.5 wins, 70 goals, and 28 goals against during Ronaldo’s six seasons there.
Ronaldo’s rise to the spotlight can be greatly credited to his time in Manchester, but he didn’t provide as much of an effect at Old Trafford. Despite incredible individual success, Ronaldo contributed to an average of 29.4% of the team’s goals per season. In the time since Ronaldo left in the summer of 2009, United don’t seem all that much different. Manchester has averaged 23 wins, 70 goals, and 34.7 goals against per season in the Premier League in the last 10 years. In fact, the major difference came when Sir Alex Ferguson left four years after Ronaldo. Between the transfer and Fergie’s retirement United averaged 26.5 wins, 84.75 goals, and 35.25 goals against per season. Manchester only garnered an average of 20.2 wins, 59.4 goals, and 34.4 goals against per season after Fergie hung up the managerial boots. If anything, it seemed like the transfer may have been a helping factor over time. Understandably, Ronaldo was much older and more mature during his career in Spain. His climb towards his prime picked up much more steam in the Santiago Bernabeu, which would explain the increase of his effect on the team. That leads us to the end goal of all this analysis. Ronaldo is currently 34 years old. Even though the man is a physical anomaly, retirement isn’t far off the horizon. If it is, then Ronaldo may leave for another “challenge”. Whatever the situation, Juventus may need to prepare for post-CR. The Old Lady averaged 24.9 wins, 71 goals, and 30.2 goals against per season in the 10 years before Ronaldo signed. At this point in the season, Juve have 24 wins in 28 games. Along the way, Massimiliano Allegri’s side has scored 59 goals and conceded 19. The Serie A leaders are on track to hit 32 wins, 80 goals, and 26 goals against.
Despite a bit of a slow start to the season, Ronaldo has 19 goals and eight assists in his debut season in Italy. As it stands, he has been involved in 46% of Juve’s goals. With players that are physical freaks like Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, they seem to get better in their “waning years”. Throughout the career of Ronaldo, his effect on his club has seemed to grow with his age. As Ronaldo finds his footing completely in Italy, that 46% contribution will likely see a bump over 50%. The team, the fans, and the city have already invested so much in Ronaldo in his eight months with the club. His effect has been grand, and it’s hard to say his departure won’t be as well. We are far from seeing the last of Ronaldo and wherever he plays he’ll produce world class quality. I know there are plenty out there already singing his praises, and at this point it may be redundant. We could go through any debate we want in terms of him being the best or not, but ultimately it won’t matter. His heaviest departure will be from the field for good, and until then we can’t take him for granted.
