Witnessing the spectacle of Cristiano Ronaldo wheeling away in front of the Stretford End and performing his trademark celebration with my own eyes will stick with me forever.
This was only after penalty. And a penalty in nigh-on meaningless match against Brentford at the business end of last season. But I will never forget the sight of the ball hitting the back of the net on that occasion, meaning I can officially say I saw Ronaldo score.
Ronaldo has obviously done much, much greater things than score a penalty with little meaning against Brentford. But that is beside the point.
When performed by these great figures, moments so minimal in the scheme of football can provide memories to last a lifetime.
The greats of this game exude something special, something almost unexplainable. Witnessing Ronaldo in person, even as he approaches the close of his illustrious career, has been an honour during his second stint as a Manchester United player.
In many ways though, while it is a treat to watch them in person and experience that unique feeling, it is the global reach of this generation's two prevailing superstars, Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, that perfectly represents their inexplicable stature.
Many from all corners of the world will never get to witness either grace a football pitch in person. But that doesn't matter to them - the adoration is still otherworldly. They are genuine god-like figures.
I often lamented the Ronaldo fans that would oppose any piece of criticism aimed at him during the slightly ugly latter stages of his second spell at United, though you have to admire the staunch nature of these people, who are so committed in their allegiance to an individual player.
These greats have forged fanbases of their own that exceed the following of the absolute vast majority of any football club. For example, in Bangladesh, the Argentinian national team has an almost unearthly mass of support - they have adopted Argentina as their nation in football and line the streets to mark their matches.
Why? Well, it’s down to one man: Messi. And that's just one of many examples.
Credit: Rehman Asad via Getty Images
For many, it seems tough to allow Messi and Ronaldo to co-exist without debate being drawn up about who is the greatest. And, in reality, the debate is absolutely fine - that's a great element that comes as part of the parcel of the beauty of football.
But the point of this piece isn't to elaborately make a case for one being greater than the other. It may sound boring, but it's just as important to take a step back every now and then, to appreciate that two superhuman sportsmen have both been at the peak of their powers for such a prolonged period at the same time in our lifetimes as part of the sport we love.
It's something that probably will never happen again, thus it is occasionally useful to view them as 'Messi and Ronaldo' rather than feeling obliged to side wholly with Messi or Ronaldo.
They have each been quite different in their greatness, but they have made hay either way, each able to produce moments almost incomprehensible. Look at Messi's dizzying runs and deft finishes, look at Ronaldo's acrobatic displays on the biggest stages.
They have been real-life superheroes for longer than anyone could really imagine, with their longevity staggering. They have been different from the rest, often due to their ability to singlehandedy drag sides out of the mire with the odds against them; at 35 years old, Messi has been continually central for Argentina, while 37-year-old Ronaldo was often a carrying force for United last term.
Messi has been built on grace - an unparalleled technical specimen who has excelled in every single department of the attacking side of football, probably the superior pure football player of the pair. Ronaldo, meanwhile, has built a career off being a machine-like figure possessing a siege mentality and unrivalled nous in the biggest moments.
Messi comes across as more of a shy person, possibly more relatable to the average person. By contrast, Ronaldo's greatness is built on a sizeable ego. But both share an aura, even if it is quite vastly different in its complexity in the case of each player. They each came from a humble background too, exacerbating their awe-inspiring nature to the regular football fan.
If they didn't co-exist, who knows if they each would have reached the heights that they have done. Xavi insisted that he views this as being the case in the BBC's 'Messi' documentary, with records being chased. And, let's face it, Messi and Ronaldo have caused almost every record to tumble.
In any case, Messi and Ronaldo are footballing pioneers, and they will remain firmly that way for the remainder of the course of the sport's history. The influence that they hold stretched to incomprehensible extents, whether it be among fans or even players.
Credit: Power Sport Images via Getty Images
Ronaldo may not be viewed as being the most likeable due to his more controversial nature, and United fans have witnessed his troublesome nature firsthand. But witnessing him bowing out of the Qatar World Cup in tears after Portugal's loss to Morocco was a painful sight for the majority of football fans. It was a sad ending to his career on international football's biggest stage, and a summing-up of his unsavoury recent fall from grace.
Messi, by contrast, is commencing the end of his own career in a manner of jubilation. It would have felt unjust if this illustrious era was exited without either of its two main faces getting their hands on the World Cup. Messi has ensured that is not to be the case.
Legacies are a funny old thing. It is strange that tournaments, which are defined by moments within matches, can define how people remember individual players. With football being a team sport, many things that happen are often out of the control of players anyway. If Messi hadn't lifted the World Cup, that wouldn't have meant he was any worse as a footballer.
But, as it is, Argentina's victory over France almost feels like a profound win for all of football. It is a match that people whose nations were not involved would usually just be neutrals for, but this was different. I am English and suffered the devastation of my nation exiting the World Cup at the hands of France, but that was put to the side as Argentina prevailed at the Lusail Stadium.
There were celebrations from non-Argentinians almost as though their own nation had won the tournament, including in England. Because one man - Messi - got his hands on the trophy, many more will look back on this World Cup in a positive light.
I can't speak for Ronaldo given the natural allegiances associated with his time at United, but there is a special connection with Messi that is emblematic of the aura that the greats of our game exude.
The footage of players running to Messi after both his Copa America and World Cup successes will stick long in the memory. At times, I even found myself taking photographs of the television after Argentina's victory over France.
Seeing Messi finally lift the World Cup trophy was a special moment that will be etched in my personal memory, as well as footballing folklore, forever. You just have to look as far as Argentina supporters serenading Messi with all kinds of salutes to see the god-like status that emenates from him.
Credit: Visionhaus via Getty Images
I am gutted to have never witnessed Messi in the flesh, and that opportunity has probably passed by as his time is at Paris Saint-Germain comes to a close and alternative options, possibly away from Europe, are explored.
But, through Ronaldo as a United fan, I have experienced this unique allure of these two greats of the present generation. It didn't work out all too well in the end, but 27 August 2021 was a special day as Ronaldo officially returned to United. You get goosebumps just thinking about it.
On that day, billboards at Manchester Piccadilly train station offered a 'welcome' message - it was very much like the return of royalty. And in footballing terms, Messi and Ronaldo are absolute royalty.
The Qatar World Cup has felt like the beginning of the swansong of the Messi and Ronaldo era. Messi lifting that trophy truly will be a defining image for the rest of football history.
What an honour it has been to witness this era.
Comments