Tyler on Ronaldo: “Goals, Inventiveness, and Influence”

You can’t sum up today’s semifinal finale any better than ESPN’s James Tyler:

“Ultimately, this may make Cristiano an even more brilliant player in the long run. Much like LeBron James computed and converted the crushing failure of the 2011 NBA Finals defeat to the Dallas Mavericks with an emphatic title run a week ago, it’s easy to imagine the Real Madrid star returning to La Liga and becoming even more scarily dominant and focused. After all, his performances at Euro 2012 (except for his waning presence as the semifinal dragged on) have shown that Ronaldo is no longer this underwhelming force with the national team. Goals, inventiveness and influence defined his five-game stretch.

“… The lingering image of Ronaldo stuck on the halfway line is a prevailing image that won’t be erased lightly. Nor will the perception of his ineffectual position, forced to bear witness to Spain’s elation from just yards away instead of being intimate in the defining moment. Only time will tell.

“Until then, Ronaldo could use a drink.”

Of course, that last line’s a little… wrong? Since, you know, Ronaldo doesn’t drink because his dad died from alcoholism when he was 20. But, you know, ESPN soccer writers don’t need to be right. They just need to fill a quota.