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Cristiano Ronaldo’s name evokes countless emotions and adjectives, which are just too many to list out. But the fact remains that the Portuguese will go down in history as one of the greatest footballers.
After emerging as a prodigious talent with Sporting Lisbon, Cristiano Ronaldo was signed by Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United back in 2003. The transfer fee of £12.24 million made him the most expensive teenager in English football at the time.
His talent was never in doubt. The United players, who were bamboozled by Cristiano Ronaldo in a match marking the inauguration of Sporting’s Estádio José Alvalade stadium, urged their boss to sign him as soon as possible.
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Cristiano Ronaldo grew from strength to strength at United, winning an incredible nine trophies – three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, a Champions League and two League Cups among other titles.
He departed for Real Madrid in 2009. Two La Liga titles, four more Champions Leagues, two Copa del Reys, two Spanish Super Cups, two UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups later, Ronaldo moved to current club Juventus.
In Italy, he has won two Serie A titles and two Italian Super Cups so far. Now, with a breathtaking five Ballon d’Ors as well as a host of other individual honors, it’s safe to say that Cristiano Ronaldo is a one-off.
However, comparisons are unavoidable in football, especially for those related to Cristiano Ronaldo – whose level of excellence will remain a benchmark for years to come.
Needless to say, there have been scores of potential Ronaldos over the years, with the numbers increasing with each passing season.
Who are the most famous of them all, and how did each of these individuals fare with regard to emulating the great man? You’re about to find out in this list of 5 players who were dubbed to be the next Cristiano Ronaldo.
#5 Wilfried Zaha
Okay, let’s set the record straight. Wilfried Zaha is an exceptional talent and one of the Premier League’s most potent wingers. However, his career trajectory has been a bit of a roller coaster.
The Ivory Coast international has had the misfortune of being burdened with unfair expectations. Moreover, he was also entangled in malicious rumors early in his career.
The 28-year-old, who holds the distinction of being Sir Alex Ferguson’s final signing, was snapped up from Crystal Palace by the Red Devils for a sum of £10 million – potentially rising to £15 million – in January 2013. He was immediately loaned back to Palace for the rest of the season.
When he finally moved to Old Trafford, Sir Alex was no longer manager, with his replacement David Moyes never really fancying Zaha – whose situation wasn’t helped by rumors of the player having an affair with the Scot’s daughter.
After just four appearances under Moyes, Zaha completed a January loan move to Cardiff City – then managed by current United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who proclaimed that the Ivorian could emulate Ronaldo.
Zaha’s time in Wales didn’t exactly work out either. After being told that he wasn’t good enough by new United boss Louis van Gaal, he moved back to Palace on loan in August 2014. The move was made permanent the following February.
In his second spell at Palace, Zaha matured into the dazzling winger United thought he would become. He is currently in the midst of his finest campaign for Palace.
While he is no Cristiano Ronaldo, Zaha is a star in his own right and has been constantly linked to European giants ever since his return to his boyhood club. The Ivorian could very well go on to taste some of the success Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved once he gets his dream big move.
#4 Bruma
If you’re a young, outrageously talented Portuguese winger coming through the ranks at Sporting Lisbon, then comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo are inevitable. And that’s exactly what happened in Bruma’s case.
After scoring goals for fun for Sporting CP’s youth sides, Bruma – who joined the club as a 13-year-old – was heralded as the next Cristiano Ronaldo by Portuguese publication A Bola.
Despite incredible showings for Portugal’s youth sides – with whom he won the FIFA U-20 World Cup Silver Shoe and the UEFA Under-21 Championship Bronze Boot – Bruma’s club career has constantly stuttered.
His spells at Galatasaray, Real Sociedad, RB Leipzig, PSV and current club Olympiacos, where his form has somewhat returned, have been lukewarm. All in all, his career has been decent, but nowhere close to that of his illustrious compatriot.
#3 Memphis Depay
The Dutchman was heavily compared to Cristiano Ronaldo as well as compatriot Arjen Robben at the time of his transfer to Manchester United. The Red Devils beat a host of clubs to secure his signature for £25 million back in 2015.
The fact that Depay chose the number 7 – famously worn by the Portuguese during his time at Old Trafford – did little to quell those comparisons.
Despite a promising start, including some incredible Champions League showings, Depay’s career faltered. This was partly due to his flashy lifestyle, as pointed out by former players Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs. After falling out of favor under Van Gaal’s successor Jose Mourinho, Depay was sold to French side Lyon in a deal rising to £22 million.
The Dutchman saw his form return after his move to Lyon, where he has become an integral player who regularly gets on the scoresheet. He was heavily linked with Barcelona during both recent transfer windows.
Barca boss Ronald Koeman – who coached Depay for the national team – confirmed his interest in the player and may very well return for him this summer.
While he’s no Cristiano Ronaldo, Depay – who deserves every plaudit for brilliantly turning his career around – might very well get a shot at greatness if his move to Spain does materialize.
#2 Adnan Januzaj
Adnan Januzaj was one player who Manchester United fans hoped would make the grade. The youngster was heavily compared to Cristiano Ronaldo during his time as an outrageously talented rookie. He even won United’s prestigious Denzil Haroun Reserve Player of the Year award shortly before making his first-team debut.
That he shared a birthday with the Portuguese superstar did little to quell the hype. Now, David Moyes’ ill-fated spell in the Old Trafford hotseat was dismal, for lack of a better word, but Januzaj was undoubtedly the brightest spark.
Such was the hype surrounding Januzaj, who scored an incredible brace in his first league start against Sunderland, that he was the topic of every pundit and tabloid. The media frenzy culminated in a BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year nomination just 10 games into his United career.
The Belgian also caused a war of sorts over his international allegiance, with Belgium (his country of birth), Albania (due to him being of Albanian descent), Kosovo, Serbia, Turkey, Croatia and even England all vying for his representation. Januzaj ultimately chose Belgium.
Despite a bright start, Januzaj could never kick on at Old Trafford. After failed loan spells with Borussia Dortmund and Sunderland, he made a move to Real Sociedad.
The 26-year-old has forged a decent career at Sociedad and could very well see his stock rise even further, but it’s safe to say that he’s nowhere close to the level Cristiano Ronaldo was at his age.
#1 Gabriel Obertan
2009 was a sad year for the Old Trafford faithful. They had to endure the heartbreak of seeing Ronaldo – then revered as a god – secure his dream move to Real Madrid.
Going to replace him, if that’s ever possible, was going to be a herculean task. It fell to Antonio Valencia – signed from Wigan Athletic – and a 20-year-old French winger signed from Bordeaux named Gabriel Obertan.
The Frenchman possessed undoubted talent and had three full seasons of top flight football under his belt. But he was hampered by injuries throughout his career. Sir Alex Ferguson said of Obertan:
"We've monitored Gabriel since he was 16 years of age and he was probably the most sought-after youngster in Europe. His form dipped a little last year, possibly due to an injury, but he's regained that form and was fantastic against England under-21s earlier this year."
Unfortunately, Obertan picked up a spinal problem shortly after his signing that kept him out of action for a month. When his Premier League debut finally came, in the form of a substitute appearance against Blackburn Rovers, Obertan showed plenty of promise. But he missed the chance to score a simple tap-in – which was the only thing people harped on.
Nevertheless, the youngster went on to put in some strong performances thereafter. He ended his first season with a respectable 13 appearances.
Sadly, further injuries hampered Obertan’s second season with the club. By the time the 2011-2012 season came round, the writing was on the wall – Obertan was going to be nowhere near as good as Cristiano Ronaldo.
So after just two seasons at Old Trafford, Obertan was shipped off to Newcastle United, where he was again hampered by injuries. He now plies his trade at Turkish outfit Erzurumspor after pit stops in Russia, a second one in England and Bulgaria, along the way.
