Quaresma by sheer talent is miles ahead of Ronaldo.
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I always wonder why this myth gets thrown around. How do you quantify or determine talent? Quaresma couldn't even make the Portugal squad for euro2004 where Ronaldo featured as one of Portugal's brightest and most important players - even making the team of the tournament for his rampant performances from the wing.
Again at WC 2006, he failed to make the final squad while Ronaldo was already a fully established NT member and probably Portugal's most important player along with Luis Figo. In that tournament, Ronaldo was key once again on their route to the semi-finals and even put up a MOTM performance in that match ahead of the likes of Henry, Zidane, Figo, Viera amongst numerous other big names on the pitch where they eventually narrowly lost 1-0.
By the following season, he was already United's best player at merely 21-22 years old - spearheading them to their first premier league triumph in 4 years and overthrowing a previously dominant Chelsea team led by Mourinho. In the process, he won all 4 major Player of the Year awards in the premier league (beating a PRIME Drogba who finished 2nd) in an era where his direct opponents were PRIME Terry, PRIME Carvalho, PRIME Lampard, PRIME Gerrard and so on. He then finished 2nd in the Ballon D'or by the end of 2007 when he was still only 22 years old. An award that many believe he could've won ahead Kaka as he was much more consistent in league play. (He would go on to win it a year later of course at 23).
So weighing up that from 18-22 years old:
- Ronaldo was a key player in reaching advanced stages of international competitions for his country while being one of the young stars of those tournaments.
- Ronaldo spearheaded a UTD team as it's best player to league success in a period where you could compile a list of the top 30 premier league players of all-time all playing at their peak.
- Ronaldo finished 2nd in the Ballon D'or to a 25 year old Kaka while having a strong case to winning it.
- Ronaldo was already able to boast having a superior season to some ALL-TIME premier league greats at their peaks competing with him.
Quaresma from 18-22:
- Failed Barca move
- No international call-ups to any major tournament.