Ronaldo's Transfer: Winners and Losers

Winners

Sir Alex Ferguson: During his time in Manchester, Sir Alex has lived by one principle –no player is bigger than the club. (Not Becks. Not RVN. Not Jaap Stam.)  Ronaldo’s departure might throw the team’s starting XI out of shape – but it’s given the gaffer who has won everything possible an exciting new challenge that could keep him at the club for a few more years.

Arsenal’s Defense: Now that Ronaldo will be terrorizing defenses elsewhere, a number of English clubs are probably breathing a sigh of relief – and none more so than the Gunners. Over the past two seasons alone, Ronaldo has scored five goals against Arsenal. That’s one less than Theo Walcott’s entire output over those same two seasons.

Florentino Perez: Admit it… a week ago when the Real Madrid President was talking about landing both Kaka and Ronaldo, you brushed it off as just another case of Spanish bravado. Well, Señor Perez has done it again,and the second Galactico era is now underway. Is there anyone Perez can’t buy?

Perez shines new light on La Liga

Losers

Kaka’s Ego: How could the game’s most beloved Brazilian and former Ballon d’Or winner ever play second fiddle? By playing alongside the game’s most talented prima donna, that’s how. Just because Kaka is a devout humanitarian and strong family man, doesn’t mean his ego doesn’t need to be fed and massaged on a regular basis, too.

The England team: Since 99 percent of the national side plies their trade domestically, it’s essential for their growth and development that they get to play against the world’s top players week in and week out. With Messi, Kaka, and now Ronaldo in Spain, such a situation is now much farther from reality.

Premiership Divers: Yes, we are talking about you, Torres, Nani, and Drogba. The frustrating tendency for attackers to fall to the ground under the slightest bit of pressure was mildly tolerated when Ronaldo was the standard bearer of such a practice.  But now that he’s gone, fans are bound to yearn for the return of the hard-as-nails, take-no-prisoners style of football that England’s been notorious for.

Drogba's innovative 'flying' dive