He may have the most dazzling skills in the game, but the Portuguese whiz-kid is also part of the diamond-earring brigade in fancy footwear which is ruining football for the next generation.
'Things are surely not right when, as a youngster coming through the ranks, you're more interested in your pay packet than the honour of representing your country or the prospect of winning medals'
In the good old days of the early 80s and before, footballers were the sons of bus drivers and miners. Today’s megastars seem to come from different stock.
Some of the players today earn so much money it's untrue, and all they are interested in is who has the biggest diamond earring and how much they paid for their latest designer watch.
I read a comment by Stuart Pearce a couple of months ago when he was talking about a youngster who was showing some real promise at Manchester City. Pearce was talking to him about his potential to maybe play for England one day. But he said the lad seemed more bothered about when he was going to get his big payday so he could afford a new Bentley.
Things are surely not right when, as a youngster coming through the ranks, you're more interested in your pay packet than the honour of representing your country or the prospect of winning medals. But it's indicative of the way today’s game is changing.
Aside from the earnings, the old morals of players not trying to get one another sent off seem to have fallen by the wayside. Footballers didn't always go down like they'd been shot after a tackle. They used to go in hard but fair. They used to have respect for referees.
Now it seems to be a case of win at all costs so they can ask for more money or a move to a bigger club. Even when you watch some of them celebrating a goal the they act like it means nothing to them. Loyalty to one club hardly exists any more.
Players in today’s game wouldn’t last five minutes in years gone by. Diamond earrings, dodgy haircuts and bright orange instead of football boots have all added to the demise of the great game. I’m sure you all know players I'm talking about. For me, it’s Portsmouth's Jermain Defoe, Tottenham's Jermaine Jenas and Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo - who, I'm happy to admit, is a quality footballer. But basically anyone who has worn a hair band, dyed their hair or has an earring will fit the part.
The days of jumpers for goalposts have long gone and I don’t think they will ever be seen again.
Are today's players good role models? Some of them will argue with literally every decision, even a throw-in. Compare this to other sports, In rugby union only the captain is allowed to question the referee, they call them 'sir' when addressing them and if the captain says anything even slightly out of line, his team is penalised ten yards.
Today's football referees are too scared to challenge these players. Why? Because they get it tenfold if they do, players surround them, managers are on every sports channel complaining about how they are biased against them, and every footballer who has kicked a ball in the last 30 years is given an opportunity to give their two-penn'orth every 15 minutes on a live sports programme.
This is too much for the referees to take and they end up buckling under the pressure and tend to be biased towards the clubs who act in this way, the so-called Big Four.
I suppose it all depends what you want for your children and the future players. If you want them to grow up thinking it's OK to win at all costs then yes, today's footballers make great role models. If, on the other hand, you would rather they had some good honest morals and respect for each other, the game and its future, then I'm afraid to say they are not very good role models at all. I know which side of the fence I am on.
How would YOU change the way today's footballers behave? Leave your comments below or let us have an article of your own.