A wise man once said, "All's sure that's going sure." For no team did this statement hold truer than for the extravagantly lavish Real Madrid, who entered the 2009-10 La Liga campaign having splashed around some ?247 million (approximately $370 million) on six marquee players in the summer, ushering in the latest era of Galácticos.
Club President Florentino Pérez, who in the previous, mildly successful era had assembled featured stars such as David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo, was back in the driver's seat, making his return to the throne more than three years after his resignation in February 2006.
After doling out slightly more money in one summer than Alex Rodriguez will have accrued by the end of 2017, Perez once again had a new set of toys at his disposal: 2007 Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year Kaká from AC Milan at ?65 million, striker Karim Benzema from Lyon at ?35 million, playmaking midfielder Xabi Alonso from Liverpool for ?34 million, and defenders Raúl Albiol and &AACUTElvaro Arbeloa from Valencia and Liverpool for ?15 million and ?4 million, respectively, to shore up the backline.
However, Pérez's most satisfying coup was unquestionably that of luring (like he had to be lured) current Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid for a whopping ?94 million or roughly $130 million—a record transfer fee.
Ronaldo, the Portuguese international and only 24 years old, had already accomplished every major feat while playing for reigning English Premier League champion Manchester United, including the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year, not to mention three EPL titles and the highly-coveted UEFA Champions League final victory over rivals Chelsea in 2008, a year in which Ronaldo bagged a staggering 42 goals in all competitions.
But after a disappointing display in the Champions League final last year in a 2-0 loss to Barcelona, Ronaldo, yearning for the fulfillment of a childhood dream, was sold to Real Madrid in June. He thus sparked one of the most fascinating chain reactions the world of sports has ever seen; and boy, did he make good early on.
Right out of the gate on opening day, Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot against Deportivo La Coruña in a 3-2 victory. He then proceeded to net a brace in his first Champions League game for the club in a 5-2 win over Swiss minnows FC Zürich, another pair in a league victory over Xerez, and one more against Villareal. Ronaldo broke the team record, becoming the first Madridista ever to score in his first four matches for the club, as Real sat pretty atop La Liga. Meanwhile in England, Manchester United was singing a more melancholic tune.
In an attempt to compensate for the irreplaceable void left by Ronaldo, Manchester United dug into their newly acquired and now-exorbitant coffers and haplessly attempted to fill the old No. 7's hole with Wigan's Antonio Valencia, Bordeaux's Gabriel Obertan, and the new No. 7 and former enemy of Cottonopolis, Michael Owen. But an unconvincing 1-0 win over Birmingham City to open the season, followed by a shocking 1-0 loss at newly promoted Burnley, did little to assuage the Red Devil supporters' apprehensiveness of their club's ability to move on effectively without Ronaldo.
Under the sage guidance of manager Sir Alex Ferguson, however, Manchester United currently sits third in the EPL table behind Arsenal and leader Chelsea, having fallen to the Blues 1-0 at Stamford Bridge at the weekend. Manchester has proven that it can stay competitive without their former ace, having already secured their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League for a fourth straight season. Yet, sufficient unease still lingers at Old Trafford.
There was the 3-3 Champions League draw at home to visiting CSKA Moscow, a game which the Russian giants at one point led 3-1, and whose deadlock was confirmed only by a Valencia strike that deflected off a CSKA defender.
Then there was Sunday's loss to Chelsea that exposed some of United's more glaring issues, such as their lack of a poised free-kick taker, a role in which Ronaldo dazzled; Wayne Rooney's immaturity as team leader, which often was diluted and overshadowed by Ronaldo's presence; and United's dearth of a consistent and confident scoring threat, which Ronaldo invariably provided.
Had Ronaldo stayed in Manchester, Burnley likely would not have pulled off the upset in the second week, and United likely would not be claiming real estate in the middle of the table; the Chelsea game probably would have ended in a draw, and Manchester United probably would be assuming their predetermined role as EPL frontrunners. But none of this has happened, simply because Ronaldo isn't there anymore.
Back in Spain, Real Madrid was flying thanks to its record signing, and was unbeaten entering October; everything was going according to plan. But, away on international duty for Portugal in a crucial World Cup qualifying match against Hungary on October 10, Ronaldo succumbed to a severe ankle injury and was ruled out two to three months, as he proceeded gingerly off the pitch in Lisbon, a mere six days after he failed to suit up for Real in their first loss of the season away at Sevilla, 2-1.
Since Ronaldo's inconvenient exit, Real Madrid has gone a lackluster 4-2-2, which includes a 3-2 loss at home in the Champions League to group foes AC Milan, and an ignominious 4-1 aggregate loss in the first round of the Copa del Rey to third tier side Alcorcón, ousting the Galácticos from Spain's famed annual domestic tournament. And despite the current squad's secondplace spot in La Liga's table, manager Manuel Pellegrini's job status seems more uncertain with each passing day. That is, until Ronaldo is fit again. But when will that be?
Ronaldo has already been ruled out for Portugal's critical two-legged fixture against Bosnia and Herzegovina that begins Saturday, the winner of which will book their place in South Africa for this summer's World Cup. And although he hasn't scored for the country since February in a friendly match against Finland, and hasn't put any past the keeper in World Cup qualifying, Ronaldo's presence on the pitch this Saturday in Lisbon and next Wednesday in Zenica will surely be missed, especially against a squad as blood-thirsty for goals as Bosnia and their pride and joy, 23-year-old striker Edin Dzeko.
He leaves England, and all of a sudden the Premiership can be won by eight or nine different teams. He hurts himself, and all of a sudden Real Madrid is incapable of beating good squads (and weak ones for that matter). He can't play in a decisive playoff, and all of a sudden perennial contenders Portugal are in danger of missing the World Cup; all of this because of one man.
But Cristiano Ronaldo is much more than that; he is a colossus, the world's best footballer, and the effect that he has had over the world of football in departing for Spain this year has been astronomical. Sunderland may win the EPL and Real Madrid may bow out in the Champions League group stage, but a World Cup without Ronaldo, already perhaps the most talented footballer of all-time, would be the greatest tragedy of all.
Love him or hate him, his RSVPing "yes" to South Africa is imperative, and we should all be rooting for Portugal this week. Unless, of course, you're from Bosnia. Or if you just plain don't like him. Regardless, the message from Manchester United, Real Madrid, and the Portuguese National Team to Ronaldo is clear: please hurry home.