Ah, The Dark Knight. Brilliant movie. Reminds me of a lot of things from the school days, which was 9 years ago. Heath Ledger as Joker gave us, perhaps, the greatest display of a psychotic villain on the big screen. Definitely among the very best if not the best.
Many things stood out about the movie, but the one thing that always stuck in my mind was the quote first said by Harvey Dent: “You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain.”
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For some reason, this just stuck in my head like an irritating chewing gum on hair. However, right now, I think that it is a good thing to remember as power, like everything else, has an age. There is a rise, then there is a boom. Then comes the declination and then it finally dies.
Most people, the intelligent ones, figure out the declination phase and transfer the reins of power to someone worthy. It is an honourable thing to do since you die a hero. However, for some, the lust for power is at such a level that they fail to see the downward spiral even when it is apparent as the sun on a clear day.
That’s when you live long enough to see yourself become a villain.
The two kings of Real Madrid
At Real Madrid, there are two well-rested cases of the above-mentioned theory. One is Raul Gonzalez Blanco and the other is Iker Casillas.
The former is a universally loved figure. At one stage in his career, no-one expected him to ever leave Real Madrid. However, some things are just not meant to be as Raul chose to leave the club in 2010 following the arrival of Jose Mourinho.
The former Spain captain was on the brink of downhill after some years of stagnation. It was his time to transfer the reins and to die a hero. And he did. And it is for this reason that most Madridistas find tears in their eyes accompanied by a smile on their lips when their mind reminisce the memories of their beloved Blanco.
And then there is Iker Casillas. The once charming prince of the capital club is now a figure of a huge divide in the Galacticos’ fan base. He, like Raul, was touted to retire at the club but had to be sold after a severe fall from grace under Jose Mourinho.
Despite all the warning signs, the now Porto goalkeeper kept on trying to forge a comeback, only to fail miserably. Attachment is a dangerous thing and it was this attachment that not only pushed him out of the club but also away from the hearts of many fans.
Iker Casillas lived long enough to see himself turn in to a villain. And now, Cristiano Ronaldo also finds himself at the same podium where Raul and Casillas once stood.
The Cristiano Ronaldo conundrum
Let me make something absolutely clear before you read further. I admire the Portugal captain’s ability. It will be a catastrophic mishap if I were to say otherwise. In an era where Lionel Messi is always labelled as the greatest ever by many sections of the fraternity, the Portugal international has just one fewer Ballon d’Or than his nemesis.
This in itself is a testament to the diligence of the man. At his best, he is like a tornado in full wrath and about to devour a whole city with vengeance, but that man isn’t seen much these days.
Nowadays, he is more like a ghost. Hovering around in his zone without much movement and only appearing with venom inside the box. He resembles a drowsy baby that wakes with popping eyes as she/he sees a chocolate.
And the ball at his feet inside the box is his chocolate. The Portuguese’s positioning inside the box is still as sublime as it gets. However, it is his lack of awareness—or, may be, care—of his team-mates nearby is what hurts the most.
There is a claim around the football fraternity that Cristiano Ronaldo is not creative. It could be true. Or it could be that his hunger for scoring is so much that the only that he sees whilst inside the box is the goal—and nothing else—and that’s perhaps why he avoids passing to his team-mates in better positions even when he is aware of their presence.
Or, maybe, just may be, people are right: he doesn’t possess the awareness that is required to do the aforementioned things. And that would be a shame of a different kind.
Whatever be the case, this is the biggest reason as to why people will always regard Lionel Messi as the better player. If Cristiano is focused about the team getting on the score-sheet more than himself, then he would be praised even more.
Anyways, enough digression. The point is, Cristiano Ronaldo is a king in the final years of his power. Even though his ardent fan base will refuse to accept this, but it seems as though the former Sporting starlet is going through his phase of declination.
The worst part? His name stands as the greatest among the pantheon of modern day greats and it is unlikely that Zidane can just drop him for tactical reasons. This means that the former Manchester United winger will keep playing and hold the team back in most cases. And that would be a catastrophe in itself.
Now, it is up to Cristiano Ronaldo to choose: will he die a hero or live long enough to see himself turn into a villain?
