Perform or perish

The first signs of the controversy were seen last week when Ronaldo, who signed a fresh five-year contract with United earlier this year, was quoted 8212; at some length 8212; in the Spanish media as saying that he wanted to play for Real Madrid. That didn8217;t go down well with United boss Alex Ferguson, who had backed Ronaldo over Ruud van Nistelrooy as the two had a series of fights in the past few months. Ferguson went so far as to put the Dutch striker on the transfer list.

Then came the Wayne Rooney incident, a few days later when England faced Portugal on Saturday. On the hour mark Rooney appeared to stamp Ricardo Carvalho below the belt and when the referee seemed to dither on the punishment, Ronaldo apparently went running up and told him it was a red-card offence. Rooney pushed him away and in fact it was probably the second act 8212; raising his hands 8212; that got the England player his red card.

To all of England, though 8212; the players, with the press, and even United fans 8212; Ronaldo betrayed a clubmate.

Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard condemned Ronaldo8217;s action, Alan Shearer said Rooney should 8220;stick it to him8221; on the United training ground. On the record, Rooney said he bore no ill-will towards Ronaldo but was 8220;disappointed he chose to get involved.8221; Off the record his words were much harsher and he was reportedly restrained from paying Ronaldo a visit after the match.

The United fans are incensed.

8220;Send this little fking wker home to his motherland or another failure galactico. We don8217;t want him in Man United. Goodbye, you won8217;t be missed,8221; went one email on the fans8217; chat site.

Ronaldo8217;s thinking was probably prompted by the Real Madrid election, in which one candidate, Juan Miguel Villar Mir, had stated he would bring Ronaldo to the Bernabeu. Senor Mir has lost the election and with the winner, Ramon Calderon, announcing his wooing of Kaka, Robben and Fabregas, Cristiano Ronaldo will probably not be joining his more famous namesake.

In other words, he has probably shot himself in the foot because he now has to face the United fans, his teammates, Wayne Rooney and probably worst of all Ferguson. The star of the step-over may have played one feint too many.

So the stakes could never be higher for the young man than on Wednesday. Play the game of his life and it could be his ticket out of Old Trafford, or at least salvage his reputation. That8217;s as good a reason as any for starring in a World Cup semi-final.

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