Cristiano Ronaldo won the first  Puskás Award at the FIFA Annual Gala on Monday for the best goal of the 2008/09 season.

The Real Madrid star was presented with the award for his 40-yard strike that saw Manchester United eliminate FC Porto from last season’s Champions League.

His fantastic goal drew accolades from around the world and came in first at the Fifa.com poll with 17.68 percent of the vote.

“I am very proud of this award, it’s a great honour for me,” Ronaldo said after the ceremony.

“It was incredible, a fantastic goal. If you asked me how to score a goal like that I wouldn’t be able to tell you.

“It’s just hitting it hard and seeing the net billow, that’s all.”

The award is named after the football great Ferenc Puskás, who was captain and lynchpin of the legendary Hungarian team of the 1950s.

Cristiano Ronaldo has missed many games since starting his campaign under Real Madrid, but if anyone thought that Cristiano’s brilliance was gone for good, they were sorely mistaken. After just a few games back, Cristiano managed to put out another brilliant performance after the one he had given just a few days prior versus Almeria.

Cristiano Scored two brilliant goals last night to put Real Madrid through to the final sixteen of the Champions League competition. Real Madrid only needed a tie to be guaranteed through, but that did not stop them from wanting to be first in their group regardless of AC Milan’s game. This means that Real Madrid do not face Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal in the final sixteen. A great plus for Real Madrid and Real Madrid fans alike.

All the doubt that Ronaldo could repeat his Manchester United free kick form in Spain have officially been put to rest after Cristiano scored the opening goal of the game with his trademark free kick. Ronaldo would add another goal which also came from a free kick towards the end of the game.

Real Madrid went on to win the game by a score of 5-2, which has put them in the driver’s seat to continue on to the next round.

Cristiano Ronaldo had some words for waiting media at the end of the game.

“I knew that the goals were going to come and that is why I was relaxed about things,” Ronaldo told the Real Madrid website on Wednesday morning.

“However, the most important thing is that we have won the first match of the group phase and we have started well in Europe.”

“The team worked well and I am happy with the result. Maybe we relaxed too much in the second half and that is something we can’t allow ourselves to do in the future,” he said, before dismissing those who say this early win makes Real Madrid favorites to lift the title in May.

“Some people may say we are favorites, but we have to take things bit by bit,” said Ronaldo.

“After we won the European Cup, I thought there is no more I can achieve here,” Ronaldo told the News of the World. “And when you have done all you can, you know it is time for a new challenge. I stayed one more season and it was nice to make it three titles in a row but it was my dream to play for Madrid.

“Of course, I have not gone for the money. It is a new challenge and a great honor to play for Madrid. Manchester United is one of the biggest clubs in the world and they pay top wages, so it is nothing to do with money.

“The white shirt is a great honor and one I am looking forward to. It is, I think, every boy’s dream to play for Real. I grew up watching them play with Zidane, Figo, Ronaldo and all the other greats and there is something about that white shirt that just attracts you. It was a great dream and, fortunately, one that is coming true.”

“When I won World Player of the Year, it was amazing. For a lot of people, that would be their peak. But I promise that is not my peak. I will get better than that. I believe I am going to improve because I am just 24. If I didn’t want to improve at 24, that would be a loser’s mentality.

“To go down as a Real Madrid great is very hard because they have had so many exceptional players. That has to be my aim, though. To go down as the greatest. It will take lots of work but that is my target. If you go down as the greatest at Madrid it means you are one of the greatest of all time.

“When you play for a club like Manchester United or Real Madrid then there is always pressure but none of the pressure comes from my price tag. That is a figure the businessmen at Madrid and United agreed on and that is nothing to do with football. My pressure comes from giving the fans what they have come to expect at Madrid and from playing for the most famous club in the world.”

Everyone’s talking about Cristiano Ronaldo.  If it’s not about his impending transfer to Real Madrid, it’s about his off the pitch practices.

During Manchester United’s announcement that they have accepted an offer from Real Madrid for Cristiano Ronaldo, the man himself escaped to Los Angelas California.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been partying it up with Paris Hilton, and here is some juicy video to prove it.

Manchester United have reported that they have accepted an offer of £80million for Cristiano Ronaldo.  This offer has no conditions and clears the way for Cristiano Ronaldo to speak with Real Madrid.  The finalization to this world breaking transfer is said to be June 30.

“At Cristiano’s request – who has again expressed his desire to leave – and after discussion with the player’s representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player. Matters are expected to be concluded by 30 June.”

We Wish Cristiano Ronaldo all the best at his new club and will continue to support him.

Cristiano Ronaldo has told Portuguese television, RTP that Barcelona did not deserve to win the semi-final Champions League game versus Chelsea.

“I have the experience already to endure all the pressure. It is always bad to lose, whether against Chelsea or Barcelona, who had some luck, as they did not deserve to win the semi-final against Chelsea.”

Cristiano Ronaldo did go on to say that Barcelona should be credited with the win.  He also said that everything was wrong for Manchester United during the final.

When asked about the rivalry between Messi and himself, Cristiano replied that he was neither pressured nor disturbed.

The media will undoubtedly continue to draw conclusions of whom is the best footballer in the world, but it seems that Cristiano Ronaldo has matured much since last year’s rumor fiasco which began after a comment that he gave to the Spanish media, and is being a little smarter of what he says.  We say:  Good On Him.

Lastly,  there is no doubt that Barcelona deserved to win the final.  They were a superior team to United.

Barcelona has won the European Cup three times, but it is the first time that they have won the treble.  It is the first time that any Spanish team has won the treble.

The football world has been continuously comparing Manchester United’s superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo with Barcelona’s own superstar, Lionel Messi.

There has been a hardy debate by many football blogs on the internet and fans of either player as to whom is the best, but Portuguese football legend, Eusebio believes that comparing these two players is wrong.  Eusebio went on to say that the media only wants something to talk about and that is why they continue debating who is in fact the best footballer in the world.

“You cannot compare them,” Eusebio is reported to have told the press. “They have completely different styles.

“It was the same for me and Pele. It’s more something for the press to talk about.

Eusebio is a big fan of Cristiano Ronaldo and believes that Manchester United will win today’s Champions League final in Rome.

“They both have great chances to win. They have had great seasons, but I favour Manchester United.”

Contradicting reports coming out of Spain and England have once again kick started the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer rumors.

Real Madrid brass have publicly stated that there is no agreement with either Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United or Cristiano’s agent on a possible move to Spain.  Madrid have stated that Manchester United have made it clear that Cristiano Ronaldo is not for sale.

The English Sun has reported that Cristiano Ronaldo has told closest friends and family that he plans on the move to Real Madrid this summer, reportedly for a £70million transfer fee.

Who can we believe?

Cristiano May Stay

The rumor mill  regarding Cristiano Ronaldo’s possible move to Real Madrid has once again started.

Last summer’s football news consistently revolved around Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid,so it is only natural that talk would once more arise with the closing of the football year.

Manchester United fans may be relieved to know that Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted that he will stay at Old Trafford.  His hit came via an interview he was giving to a Spanish radio station, Atena 3.

Florentino Perez  is campaigning to become Real Madrid club president and has vowed to build a dream team.  This dream team would undoubtedly include Cristiano Ronaldo.

“At the moment I am only thinking about the Champions League final independently of what will happen to me or my team-mates next season,” he said.

“I am sure Perez would create an incredible team at Madrid but at the moment I am at United and I don’t care about what happens there.

“I only care about what will happen next season at Manchester United.”

Cristiano has also stated that he is completely focused on next week’s CL final game versus Barcelona.

“It will be very difficult to do it again, because Barcelona have a good team, great players and a great coach,” he said

“The two teams are very good, they play very well and they have dream squads.”

“It’s a battle of teams,” he said.

“Without my team I won’t win and neither will Messi without his team-mates.

“It’s clear that we are the two best teams in Europe. It will be the match every fan dreamed about.”