Will Cristiano Ronaldo Be Staying Home Next Summer?

The 2010 FIFA World Cup is traditionally the stage where the best soccer players in the world showcase their talent. But some of the biggest names in soccer lore never did make it to the big show. George Best, Alfredo Distefano and Eric Cantona to name just a couple off the top of my head. In 2010 at least you may have to add the world’s most expensive soccer player – Cristiano Ronaldo – to the list.

He may have just broken a Real Madrid record by scoring in all four of his first games for the club but his showing in international competition has been poor, and he and Portugal, just like Lionel Messi and Argentina, are in serious danger of missing out on the festivities in Johannesburg next June.

But unlike Messi, who seems to be trying to carry his team on his shoulders, Ronaldo is just as guilty as any of his national side team mates of putting in less than stellar performances in the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign. In the last 23 months Ronaldo has scored just 2 goals for his country and none at all in the eight World Cup qualifiers so far. While in his last season in the Premiership with Manchester United he netted 26 overall and his tally at Real Madrid is already 7 in 5 appearances. So obviously there is nothing wrong with his game.

So what is going wrong? No one really seems to know. There are other great players on the side apart from CR9. Nani, from Manchester United, Deco from Chelsea and Simao from Athletico Madrid, to name but a few. But still, in the recent game against Denmark the side was only able to hit the back of the net once in 35 shots at goal.

Time is running out fast for Portugal. The two remaining qualifying games, which they will get to play at home, against Hungary and Malta will have to yield maximum points and even then Portugal would have to rely on a Swedish slip up to qualify. Unless something changes very quickly it looks like Ronaldo will be spending the summer next year working on his tan, rather than joining fellow new Real Madrid superstar Kaka in South Africa.