Ronaldo has a long way to fall...

I've a wee hunch that Cristiano Ronaldo may struggle at Real Madrid. The setup at the Bernabeu is different to the protective, indulgent environment he enjoyed at Old Trafford. There, he was the focal point of a team of workhorses who were happy to let him put the gloss on a rounded team effort. In Spain, the hierarchy will be less clear - he will be amongst equals whose games also depend on freedom and possession, and he is unlikely to define the team ethic in the same way. Thierry Henry struggled with a similar adjustment throughout his first season at Barcelona. It is difficult to see Kaka, Sneijder et al kowtowing to Ronaldo, regardless of his price tag.

At United, Ronaldo was able to straddle so many roles - winger, striker, playmaker, target man - because the side's one glaring weakness was the lack of an out-and-out striker. His brilliance turned this into a strength. Being able to fill both roles at once made him impossible to pin down, and gave him space to charge at defenders. In Madrid, however, he'll face competition for the link role from Kaka, while the main striker's position is occupied by the iconic - although diminished - Raul, new boy Karim Benzema, and Ruud van Nistlerooy, whom he never clicked with in Manchester. Indeed, it was only with the Dutchman's departure that Ronaldo began to truly flourish, and the same may be true this summer. Regardless, Ronaldo is likely to play as a more conventional - and restricted - winger than he's grown used to, and this may stifle his ability to dictate games as did at United. Likewise, his tendency to give the ball away cheaply may not be tolerated to the same extent. Ronaldo's natural selfishness was disguised by his overall output in his latter years at Utd. But if the returns start to drop, the old criticism of his peacocking and showboating not amounting to much may return. In short, he may fail at Madrid (by his own high standards) for the very reason that Ferguson decided to let him leave United - because it's not the Cristiano Ronaldo show.

Having said all that, Ronaldo's defining characteristic is his determination, which outstrips even his ego, and he may well kick on again and achieve enduring greatness. Either outcome would make for fascinating viewing for English fans, whom he left with respect but little genuine affection.