Cristiano Ronaldo Will Have to Overcome Increased Pressure This Season

Even the biggest stars in sports come with pressure. For Cristiano Ronaldo, he will have to deal with more of it than ever before this season.

The Real Madrid forward is clearly one of the top two players in football along with Lionel Messi. Last season, he scored 34 goals and 10 assists in league play while adding 23 more goals in various other competitions.

Unfortunately, his club did not find as much success. It was a rare trophyless season for Real Madrid, who finished second in La Liga behind bitter rival Barcelona. The squad also lost in the semifinals of the Champions League and in the final of the Copa del Rey.

To make matters worse, the summer has not gone well for the Spanish giants. Second-leading scorer Gonzalo Higuain was sent to Napoli, and management have not found a legitimate replacement for him.

While Real remain in contention for Gareth Bale, there seems to be a large gap in valuation, according to David Hytner of the Guardian. Based on the drama that we have seen so far, no one should be assuming a deal will eventually get done.

With manager Jose Mourinho also leaving for Chelsea, the pressure to improve lies on the club. More specifically, it lies on the best player Ronaldo, who will try to do better on a weaker team.

Meanwhile, Barcelona has only gotten stronger with the addition of Brazilian phenom Neymar. Pairing the exciting young player with the already impressive front line will make this one of the top clubs in the world.

Therefore, the road to a La Liga title will be as tough as ever. While there are plenty of high-profile players on Real Madrid, it will all come down to Ronaldo and whether or not he is able to carry the club to success.

Additionally, the 28-year-old star must prove that he is not on the decline after reaching a peak of 46 goals two years ago. Obviously, he is still scoring at an incredible rate, but his side cannot afford anything less than spectacular this season.

Ronaldo has already been impressive in preseason play. At the International Champions Cup, he had three goals and two assists in three matches to help Real Madrid win the title over an impressive field. 

This is something that must continue throughout the season.

It will not be easy, but he has to play better than ever to beat an improved opponent with a worse club around him as he continues to get older. While Ronaldo has already proven himself as one of the best in the world, this year will truly show what he is made of.

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