This shot by Ronaldo in the Clubs World Cup has been going all over the world. imo it is a bit ridiculous to give that much attention to a shot that was not even a goal but people nowadays give excessive credit to popular players. I wasn't planning to do a thread about it basically because it is not worth it, its just a missed shot; but recently Ive seen tons of discussions regarding Ronaldo being disrespectful or something along that line for trying this shot when it was clearly not necessary. Even an argument between Guti and a famous Latin American commentator Raul Orvañanos went viral because during the transition of the match he called Ronaldo a "clown" for trying that.

I was really hoping for you guys to give your opinions on this matter.
Can it be compared with Balotelli's similar trick shot when playing for City?

YES!!!

ok balotelli looks way dumber.

He can do whatever he wants. I can't believe he's being criticized for taking a fancy shot. His only option at that point in time was to take a shot, and he decided to go for the fancy. Nobody criticizes a player who attempts a bicycle kick, so what's wrong with a rabona? The goal was his to miss, and Madrid were already winning. There was never a doubt in the result.

^ What he said, but then again you can't complain against Balo. He can do what he wants to but he does have to accept the consequences.

Ok so whats the difference between Ronaldo's and Balotelli's? are both ok then?

He can do what he want but it is unacceptable for missing a goal scoring opportunity.....

Comparisons w/ Balotelli's are fine for me, they did exactly the same, just another type of trickshot. But ye it doesn't really matter (to me personally), it's nice to have flair in football - but on the other hand it just shows how much this game meant to him and I understand him, maybe they should play more youth players in these games.

Rabona to perfection!

@Dynastian, a bicycle kick is much more likely to be situational. Players attempt it when that is the best form of shot they have to execute in a given scenario. Ronaldo did not have to perform a rabona in that instance. A simple volley would have done the job. It's not about the result. R. Madrid were clearly favorites. It's about whether you respect your opponent seriously enough in a game of this magnitude. Ronny has been one of my favorite footballers to watch for years, but I have no problem saying he was wrong to do what he did.

it would be a dream for me to score a goal like lamela's goal. i have known how to do it for a year or so now but i just never attempt it.

Haha Balotelli's attempt is so careless and more disrespectful compared to Ronaldo's attempt though imo. Personally I don't have anything against players trying to score a spetacular goal, especially when your team has already won and are playing a "pointless" cup/match against a much weaker team.

@Dynastian
i agree with TheGame except for the fact that the rabona is much more situational than a bicycle kick.
there's some skills that are dictated more by the need and the situation you're in. the rabona is one of those. for example Lamela, performed that rabona yes because he's really good at it, but mainly because he knows he's so bad with the right foot that paradoxically in that situation he knew he'd have more chances with a rabona. i think he even stated this if i am not mistaken.

then there's the other element of the equation here, which is the amount of ridiculous a failed skill can reach. which is a perfect consequence of the previous point, as (as a player, especially when top class) the furthest you are from the appropriate timing and context to perform x skill, the more ridiculous it gets, like in this and Balotelli's case.
Balotelli's one is more ridiculous because he chose a skill which was far more out of context giving the situation he was in. he performed a skill which is meant to jump n-men, while there was no one to jump, but a goal to shoot at. and surely he wasn't winning 3-0.

So you have to show respect to your opposition now by shooting properly on target every single time? What about backheels? They're not situational. Players choose to perform backheels, and half the time they're not even necessary.

"It's about whether you respect your opponent seriously enough in a game of this magnitude.... I have no problem saying he was wrong to do what he did."

• Now there are 'morals' in football for shooting? Since when? Since when did anyone criticize Ronaldinho dancing before shooting the ball against Chelsea? Sure, he scored, but what if he didn't? Wouldn't you criticize him in the same manner? Balotelli's shot was just simply careless. You can see the way Hierro applauds him from the bench that they clearly appreciate the flair he displays (Ancelotti remains as expressionless as usual). Balotelli was subbed off immediately after his attempted flair, which also shows how much Mancini felt his backheel was worth. This "respect" excuse just gives people another reason to criticize Ronaldo for little things.

"Lamela, performed that rabona yes because he's really good at it, but mainly because he knows he's so bad with the right foot that paradoxically in that situation he knew he'd have more chances with a rabona."

• Yes, and as a professional footballer you don't criticize him for practising with his weaker foot? For all those hours in the training ground, and considering the fact that he has been playing football as a job for many years now, you'd think that he would be able to take a simple shot with his right foot by now. He forced the paradox onto himself, but no one criticizes him because he scored. If Ronaldo scored, this thread wouldn't even exist right now.

This is a typical backheel goal. Do you see how much more effective it is to perform this rather than ANY other type of shot, in that given situation? Well, in Ronaldo's situation the rabona was an ineffective shot and came across more as showboating.

If Ronaldo scored, this thread wouldn't even exist right now.

I completely agree. But because he didn't and because R. Madrid were 3-0 up at the time when he decided to take that shot, he is rightfully criticized. This topic isn't new. In fact Ronaldo, from 03-05, used to be constantly criticized for useless and unproductive tricks and skills when he was at United. These are just some residual parts of his game that we still see today. But because he is at a higher altitude than the rest and he is arguably the best footballer at this present time, these little flaws (particularly ones that bring up questions with regards to his professionalism) tend to get magnified, and rightly so IMO due to the fact that we hold him to a higher standard.

@Dynastian
"You can see the way Hierro applauds him from the bench."

i also see the way Hierro laughs at him from the bench. case in point.

of course if Ronaldo would have scored (not-gonna-happen one in a million) he wouldn't have been so criticized. it's football, it's life. i value certain events by the present state of the context they happen into; being a professional footballer it means also to have top level decision making ability, while being under pressure. here Ronaldo is not even under pressure which makes it even worst. top level decision making it means to be able to do the right/best thing at the right/best moment. i couldn't care less about Lamela not training and being bad with the right foot, that is a negative weight which affects the general value of a player already, but what negative effect did that have on the present state of the context he was into? zero.
if he would have chosen to shoot with the right foot and terribly miss/send it sky-high in France/pulled a clod from the pitch, then i'd say "what a donkey"; but in that moment he chose to do something which would grant him a certain probability of success, say 90% since he's terribly confident with rabonas, and went for it. worst case scenario? that rabona would go slightly out/hit the post: would still be appreciable and pleasant to watch. the whole thing is paradoxical to us (external world), to him not, because for him is a natural thing and it would be well executed no matter what, that's why he went with it. get what i'm saying? Ronaldo simply chose to do something he isn't confident with, which was also uncalled for. it was not dumb like Balotelli's, but questionable. it just wasn't the right/best thing at the right/best time, so it came out as a laughable move.

@Shpalman

"i couldn't care less about Lamela not training and being bad with the right foot, that is a negative weight which affects the general value of a player already, but what negative effect did that have on the present state of the context he was into? zero."

So you are basically saying that Ronaldo doing a rabona is unacceptable but Lamela doing one is acceptable.

"but in that moment he chose to do something which would grant him a certain probability of success, say 90% since he's terribly confident with rabonas, and went for it. worst case scenario? that rabona would go slightly out/hit the post: would still be appreciable."

My point exactly. You're just strengthening my argument.

"Ronaldo simply chose to do something he isn't confident with"

How do you know he isn't confident with it? Can you read his mind? If so, please tell me all about his thoughts during a game. You just stated that we are the external world and don't understand the choices these players make on the pitch. Then how do you justify/criticize Ronaldo's choice to shoot with a rabona? This is getting more and more ridiculous. You're simply saying that Lamela's rabona is justifiable and Ronaldo's isn't.

"How do you know he isn't confident with it?"

i was so waiting for this, he is not confident because if he was, he'd know that it's almost impossible to score by rabona with that kind of ball provided by that cross in the position he was in, aka: there weren't all the premises for a well executed rabona. also instead of moking me try to get what i wrote in the previous comment, i tried to rationalize it as much as i could, but i see it still isn't enough. i explained you why Lamelas rabona would still be appreciable in case of fail. i can tell you what Ancelotti was thinking tho', because i know him well, he was thinking: "what the actual f*ck". which is pretty much what some other million of souls thought in that moment, me included. we're humans after all.

@Shpalman

Wow, now you can read Ancelotti's mind too? Fabulous. Add his name to Ronaldo's on your list.

"he is not confident because if he was, he'd know that it's almost impossible to score by rabona with that kind of ball provided by that cross in the position he was in, aka: there weren't all the premises for a well executed rabona"

• Again, neither was Lamela, but he did so anyways and scored. How do you know the limits of a footballer? How do you know whether Ronaldo is confident with a rabona or not? You're neither giving facts nor an actual opinion. You're just making things up to try and vainly support your argument. You can neither read Ronaldo nor Ancelotti's minds, so stop trying to do so.

I don't think scoring in a fancy way is disrespectful. It was a good try, nothing more, nothing less.

This, is what I call disrespectful, @TheGame (btw the goal was disallowed)

Balotelli said that he heard referee whistle, that's why he did it, there's nothing disrespectful on his shot.

@Dynastian

the one about Ancelotti was meant to be a joke. about the rest, are you even serious? i use logic, i don't behave like a fanboy who sees red everytime his hero gets criticized.

so you're telling me Lamela didn't have all the premises for a well executed rabona and at the same time you tell me i make up things? jesus christ man. i gave you lot of elements to help you understand WHY Ronaldo's move was criticized.

what about you? all you do is mock and treat people like idiots. (i saw the post before you edited it, it's not the 1st time you do that: you offend, let the offended person read, and then edit. you think you're smarter than average right? wrong.)

here, football expert, spot the differences (1:16):

@quikzyyy,
mate Balotelli never shot in that occasion, i don't undertsand why people keeps writing that he shot. he did a veronica in front of the goal instead of shooting.

veronica: