Is Cristiano Ronaldo still as good as he thinks? What the ‘facts’ really say

Cristiano Ronaldo has come in for some heavy criticism since returning to Manchester United in the summer of 2021. But the Portuguese forward has hit back, saying that stats suggest he’s playing well. We’ve attempted to find out if that’s true.

Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford – where he made his name as a teenager and went on to become the world’s best player in 2008 – was much celebrated by United fans.

He developed into a goal machine in his first spell at the club and went on to cement his reputation as one of the most prolific players in the history of the game during spells at Real Madrid and Juventus, winning countless trophies on the way.

Many fans expected him to continue having a similar impact after he re-joined in a £12million deal from Juventus, for whom he scored 36 goals in 44 games in 2020-21.

Yet at times this season, the 36-year-old has struggled, most notably in a recent run of five games without a goal, during which he sent a penalty flying past the post during an FA Cup game with Middlesbrough. It was his longest goalless streak in 13 years.

There have also been questions surrounding Ronaldo’s behaviour off the ball and how it affects the team tactically, with many observers questioning his commitment to defending and pressing the opposition.

Yet Ronaldo recently gave an interview to DAZN in which he hit back at the doubters, saying: “I show year after year that the numbers speak for themselves.

“I don’t have to tell you that I’m very good, because the numbers are there. The facts are facts, the rest is not. It doesn’t matter at all.

“That’s why I’m very happy with my form, I’m still scoring goals, helping people, teams, both in the national team and at Manchester United and that’s why I want to