A great article, but I am left with a question: How will Beckham and Ronaldo be remembered? Will they be thought of in the same way we recall Pele and Bobby Charlton, or will we rank them as lesser mortals with Maradona and Zidane? All of these have been superlative players, but Pele and Charlton have both possessed an even more significant quality - grace. Maradona's "Hand of God" and Zidane's headbutt relegate them to a lower division.

While the article wrestled with the force of vanity, I know that I am more disturbed by Ronaldo's failure to distinguish between legitimate trickery (the application of superb physical skills) and cheating. Of course he is not the only player to "simulate"; however, his vanity leads him to believe he is above the laws of the game and renders the disapproval of others inconsequential.

I'm trying to imagine Pele diving and writhing, and it just isn't working. Ronaldo is a good player, but will never be great.

Colin, Brisbane, Australia

Ronaldo was never a show pony in the the same vein as Beckham. This bloke was always a great player which Beckham and Rooney will never be.
After the last World cup all the ManU fans swore that he would never play for them again but he was so good that them cant get enough of him; Rooney is seldom mentioned as a standout at ManU.
Beckham is not in the same class as Ronaldo but is very good at publicity and PR while his football talents are debatable.

hortense vaughan, london,

Marvelous piece Simon, in this day and age we could very well get a peek at a writer or artist as they worked, but on to foodball.

If you watch a player in training, you would see them perform a host of party tricks, outrageous shots at goals, and stunning freekicks.

The same player would pale in comparison in a game that meant anything.

Unless that player was a Ronaldo or a Beckham.

Beckham also had a moment of confirmation, if you remember it, when he shat from his own half to beat a Wimbledon keeper.

The courage that players like these display, encourage us.

Ming Art, Penang, Malaysia

'He who knows it feels it'...
Those of us who have actually aspired to, & dared to attempt to live up to dreams of playing in the arenas of both Beckham & Ronaldo, will nod their heads in grudging respect for both men..
Those of us who have pulled rough boots onto aching feet in rain, sleet & shine to strike stitched leather will stand testimony to the technical skill, football wizardry & pure bloody mindness of Masters Beckham & Ronaldo....
Those of us who have lifted a trophy soaked in blood & guts will appreciate the energy, the soul & the passion that has been lost, sucked from the body to attain this piece of metal..
I do not know them personally, I cannot say I like them but they have reached the Mount Olympus of boyhood dreams the length & breadth of the land and we thank God that we can relive our dreams, week in, week out, through men such as Beckham & Ronaldo..
I salute them.

jimmy garber, london,

Beckham as show pony? He was never that good. Like Fraser from London, Cantona is my benchmark for greatness at United.

mark mcfarland, dubai, uae

i personally am an Arsenal supporter ,the main thing i dislike about Ronaldo is when he cheats to gain a penalty or the like. But there is no doubt that the man can play ,and it is a pleasure when he plays well for he raises the status of the game.Making personal attacks about him is really a very pathetic thing to do.

Antoine, Warsaw, Poland

I'm so lucky to be a Manchester United fan because I've immensely enjoyed the contribution of both Beckham and Ronaldo to United's cause.

Charbel, Houston,

All is vanity including fancy writing.' In sport you are either good enough or your not ' - remember ? They are both ( and always have been ) courageous and talented footballers...the problem was always all yours mate.

Mick, Adelaide, South Australia

As an all round player, Ronaldo is already a better player than Beckham ever was.....and Beckham was far from bad.

Paul, London,

Ronaldo is great, to say his greatness is because of Vanity is ridiculous. A physical demanding sport is horrible on the body and mind, and David along with Cristiano are Unreal at their respective sport. Give them, and all other professional atheletes at the top of their game the praise they deserve. While we sit back and write articles about them, and stuff our face with fried foods and make fun of their hair and Vanity...they are out there playing. Ronaldo is the best right now, he's pretty darn good. End of story.

David, Texas, Texas

I think true Man United Fans trusted big Alec's judgement when Ronaldo was going through his pantomime horse stage, he has already outstripped the overated Beckham. Fergie as usual let him go exactly the right time, he was playing poorly for Man United and losing goals for England due to his ineffectiveness in midfield, not properly highlighted I thought, due to the fact that he was the darling of the English Sporting Media.

Ronaldo is already a legend but has a way to go until he is as iconic as the magnificent Cantona

Fraser, London,

I'm not a Manchester United fan. I don't really care how England do either to be honest.
But I enjoy good football. This is why I like to watch players such as Beckham, who might not be one of the greatest players in the world, but is certainly in the Top One of England players who have tried hardest. You knew that when he was on the pitch, he cared as much as the fans. He played like a fan.
As for Ronaldo, sure we sneer at his flash tricks. We mock his pretty-boy looks, his arrogant posturing. But he is very, very good, and a pleasure to watch. When he scores one of his extravagant goals, and rather than running around with his shirt over his head just shrugs his shoulders and gives a wry grin, you can't help grinning too.
Unless it's your team he's scored against, then you hate him as much as you would like him to play for you.

shorehamview, Sunny Sheffield,

Superb article. I've no qualms in saying that Ronaldo is the best player in the world right now. His goal to game ratio is staggering.

Nick Turnbull, Canterbury, UK

Cristiano Ronaldo, to my mind, is clearly the real thing. I have not seen this kind of running power since the young Ronaldo was tearing holes in the world's defences. He possesses exceptional balance, incredible footwork, is able to execute a large range of tricks at exceptional pace, is an excellent crosser and a superb header of the ball and has an incredible goal return for a winger. On top of this he is now adding some dead ball mastery to his game. I think he is a complete player now, I think he is the one player that every team in the world would want in their line-up.

While noting Ronaldo's hard work, it has to be said that Ferguson has developed him incredibly. Real Madrid fancy themselves the world's best club, but what young players ever really develop while there? Look at Robinho? All they do is take the best from other clubs using wads of cash. Ronaldo was far from finished when he joined Man U, now he is the best in the world and he did it in the most physical of leagues

Jason Kennedy, La Antigua, guatemala

well written article, with the exception of the point
"Ronaldo is probably already a better player than Beckham" Come on lets face the facts Ronaldo is already a much stronger player then Beckham in his prime.

sidonio, baggotsford,

Excellent piece that.No doubt that Ronaldo is the best in the world at this moment and like Becks he puts bums on seats.As a simple Northern lad I just wish his vanity could be toned down a bit but maybe I am missing the point.Maybe when he is voted the best in the world he will have reached a kind of maturity that will settle him down.

Ian Higton, Hua Hin, Thailand

Its okay, like everyone else outside of Portugal and few other places where football is meant to be enjoyed....your words are swallowed like a professional trick .

Joelzinho Borges, Montreal, Canada

Brilliant article about two players who are remarkably similar when you think about it. Ronaldo will be the worlds best for years to come there can be no doubt.

Lee, Brighton, England