He never lies: CR7 uncovered

“People whistle me because I am good-looking, rich and a great footballer. They are jealous of me.”

You can sit down now

The world has been a witness to many a great sportsmean. We have had electrifying performers, brooding perfectionists, the ‘djokers’ in the pack and men with ingenuity and skill-sets embedded into their genes. This vast array of personalities and the epic clashes between them is what makes sports-watching such an intriguing prospect.

“The one thing that I really dislike, is being alone” – Cristiano Ronaldo

But there is one man who stands aloof and stands tall. One man who never lies or hides. One man who, unlike so many other sportsmen, does not fake modesty. One man who revels in the appreciation of his artistry. One man who has enhanced the legend of the number seven, and if his detractors could have it their way, they would have this prodigal son removed from the footballing heaven.

Alan Parry (BBC Sports and Sky Sports commentator): – “He’s a gift from heaven, he is truly a gift from heaven. Whatever he touches turns to gold.”

He polarises opinion like none other in this world. People either love him or hate him for what he does, but nobody likes him for who he is. His fans love him for his abilities and powers, the amazing skills which he can employ to completely decimate the opposition. While his detractors hate him for his so called petulance and perceived arrogance. But nobody likes him. Because liking would mean admiration. Admiration leads to inspiration. And people can’t follow his example, because the terrain is too rocky, the path full of abuse and ridicule, a path on which you walk alone. And it is brought about by his utter disregard for false humility and concealment of his true emotions.

“No one did what I did last season and for this, I deserve the Golden Boot and why not the Best World Player award?”-Cristiano Ronaldo

Amidst the barrage of hate and scorn the man rolls on. “For your love makes him stronger, your hate unstoppable.” Very often he has been accused of unneccesarily mocking defenders with his shimmies and step-overs which rarely lead to an end-product. But few realise the courage it takes to exhibit your skills, to show confidence in your abilities in a pressure-cooker situation. The bravery to go all-out and lose yourself to the rhythm of your own heartbeat, while capturing the ones of his ‘lovers’, the rhythm quelling the deafening jeers aimed at him by his haters; The jeers arising from legitimate fears. Fear for the havoc that this beast of a man can wreck on their time, the ‘termination’ that this well-drilled machine can carry out. The endurance to to stand up after being literally swept of your feet by a ‘knock-out’ blow handed over by your opponents.

Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United defender): – “When you see someone like him coming on, with his great pace and desire to take someone on, it is a boost.”

The greatest accusations labelled at him are that he is not a big-game player, and that he is an incapable leader. His public perception brings out the hypocrisy prevalent in man’s true nature. How the greatest of contributions are forgotten and the smallest of ‘follies’ are over-hyped. People have a short memory. For they easily forget his silencing of Camp Nou, his thumping header at the Mestalla, the leap of faith at Luzhniki, the dive against the Czech Republic and a plenty more.

As a leader he is always put forward as someone who does not give a damn about his team, and never assumes responsibility for its failures. What people forget is his belief in his actions rather than in his pep-talks. He doesn’t marshall or rally the troops from behind, but stands up and fights like a soldier at the forefront. His dedication towards winning is peerless, his obsession for perfection bordering on the inhumane. He epitomises the saying of help yourself, uplift yourself by performing your duty, and in the process others will be helped to. That is exactly what he does. His individual genius propels his team to the pantheons of success.

He is a rare breed, one that demands the limelight, rather than being a sidekick. He is unique, due to his openness and frankness. He never hides his private life, rendering it no different from an open book. But on the playing field, he is an illusion who puts his opponents under delusions. His free-kicks powered by his air-filled lungs may not be the most accurate, but always puts the keeper in a dilemma. And that is the aura of him. He will proclaim that he will do it, and strangely you know too that he will, for he never lies.

He has that ability to conjure up something from the blue, the ability to get your adrenaline high. His pursuit of glory is unrelenting, it is the fuel for his tank. He has build his legacy on only one thing. And that is victory, while inciting hope for victory in people who believe in him. They say it’s hope that kills you, not fear. The light at the end of the tunnel is what propels you. You might fall, might fail but if you don’t try you will never prevail.

George Best (Manchester United former player): – “The great thing about him, is that he will not quit.”

People proclaim a certain Argentinian maestro to be a saint. A god in fact. A proponent of how the beautiful game is meant to be played. They say he infuses a sense of playfulness and ease that makes football a joy to watch. They say he does not care. And I completely agree with that.

But for me, CR7 is perfectly human. And that too a flawed one. He strives to excel, to break out of his shell, and has an ego that needs massaging. He wants acclaim and appreciation from his fellow mates, the society in which he lives in.

Don’t we all need that? Wouldn’t personal satisfaction be incomplete without social acceptance? We all have that urge to be distinctly individual and portray that we don’t care, but at the bottom of our hearts we know the truth. CR7 epitomises this epic battle between being accepted for acting same, and being castigated for going your individual way, thus leading to a connection with him on a more personal level.

Besides. He can never be guilty of lying, for he is too proud to contemplate trying. He can never fake it, for he has given up too much of himself to make it.