Largs Thistle legend George Wall’s new football column…
Cristiano Ronaldo’s overhead kick for Real Madrid against Juventus was outstanding.
I saw Ronaldo in the flesh at the quarter final stage of the Champions League a few years ago when Real Madrid were playing Roma.
He had his usual stance, and kept his head down during the game, and then before you know it, BOOM BOOM, 2-0 in the second half.
He was strutting about, and then suddenly just turns the game in a matter of minutes.
If I was to choose between Ronaldo and Messi, I would go for Ronaldo as the world’s best player.
It is certainly a case that this generation is blessed when it comes to having two footballing superstars who are so good at what they do.
Ronaldo has scored in every Champions League game so far this season.
You could tell that he was going to be a great player from his days at Manchester United, but he has sustained it and he is now 32.
He obviously keeps himself fit. The day before the game, when they were in the training, he tried the overhead kick and knocked it past the post, but he was obviously practicing it and honing it to get it right, what a goal.
You saw Zinedine Zidane’s attitude when he scored the overhead kick – he just put his hands on his head. Zidane himself scored a terrific volley at Hampden Park in the 2002 Champions League Final, and opined that he thought his goal was better. He would say that, but I think Ronaldo’s topped it.
The pressure on you in such a big game – the Champions League quarter final at Juventus – and to carry off something like that was brilliant.
I was also very impressed with Liverpool’s 3-0 win against Manchester City. I think everyone was surprised by that scoreline.
Mohamed Salah has impressed me as top goalscorer in the Premiership with 30 goals, and he shows great balance and control, and takes his chances early.
His manager Jurgen Klopp said Liverpool were going to attack at Anfield, and they certainly did in the first half, but in the second half, I thought the Liverpool defence was outstanding and they shut down all the spaces and saw the game out.
And they backed it up with an impressive 2-1 win in the 2nd leg.