Carlos Tevez may have joined Juventus with significantly less fanfare, but he was a much more important figure to them than Cristiano Ronaldo.
When the Argentinian joined the Bianconeri back in June 2013, many fans were not particularly excited. He had just come off a difficult couple of years with Manchester City and it seemed to many that his best was behind him. Juventus only paid €9m initially for the player, later rising to €15m due to add-ons, and he went on to be their first top-class forward in their golden era.
In his first season in Turin, Tevez scored 19 goals in 34 Serie A appearances, being named Juventus’ player of the season as they won their third Scudetto in a row and 30th in total. He also netted in the 4-0 Supercoppa Italiana win over Lazio, picking up two pieces of silverware in his first season.
The following year was even more successful for the Argentinian forward. He scored 20 goals in 32 Serie A appearances as well as seven in the Champions League, proving decisive as the Bianconeri reached their first Champions League final in a decade. He provided an assist in the final but couldn’t help the Turin side overcome Barcelona, who won 3-1.
Tevez left Juventus in June 2015, ending a memorable two-year spell in Turin. Three years later, star forward Cristiano Ronaldo donned the black and white shirt, but the hype ultimately failed to be met.
Whilst Ronaldo was a consistent and impressive goalscorer during his time in Turin, netting 101 goals in 134 appearances, he also couldn’t help stop Juventus’ decline. Being known as a Champions League specialist, many hoped he could be the man to guide the club to their third top European title.
Instead, he failed to progress past the quarter-finals with Juventus and the incredible costs associated to the deal that brought him to Turin limited the club’s ability to reinforce their squad as an overhaul became desperately needed.
In hindsight, it seems fair to say that Tevez had a significantly more important impact at Juventus than Ronaldo did. Both players won the exact same honours in Turin (two Scudetti, a Coppa Italia and a Supercoppa Italiana), but one beat the odds and proved to be the leading figure during the early stages of Juventus’ golden era, whilst the other was the only bright spot in their slow decline.
Juve were more in the public eye because of Ronaldo but in terms of style and performance, far better without him. Was it because the players around him especially the midfield at the time was weaker? Possibly, there was no Locatelli for starters, but what are the right players when you have Ronaldo – players that serve him, that works in his prime, not when he’s no longer the star of the show he at least believes he is. Ronaldo of old pre-Juve, was one you build a team around, not the Ronaldo one Juve had.
Ultimately, results count for a football club, and it’s a team sport not an individual one, you can have a star player but that player is usually younger or at least more adaptable as time goes on. Unfortunately until the day he retires it will always be the Ronaldo show. A legend sure, but more legendary if he adjusted his role as the focal point of the team, at least allowing others to come forward alongside him. That’s the difference with Messi, Messi’s performance alone incredible, but with others it didn’t hinder him it only brought out the best in him.
Still brilliant at PSG, still a focal point, but that doesn’t mean others like Neymar, Mbappe Verratti, can’t be as important if not more so.
The photos coming out of Galliani meeting with Tevez filled up with hope, until it turned out that whilst agreeing a deal with the player, Milan couldn’t afford the transfer fee. It was very difficult then seeing him go to Juventus but he certainly will go down as one of the best foreign players to play in Serie A. You could argue that he played in better Juventus teams than Ronaldo, but boy did he score some absolutely outstanding goals. Great player.
‘Still brilliant at PSG’ Very curious statement considering that he has only 2 goals in ligue and PSG were knocked out in the 2nd round of CL this season where he missed a very crucial 1st leg penalty.
Always fun to see Messi fans always want to distort reality in order to show their idol in the greatest light.
Both players as great as they are and have been have always relied on the calibre of team mates to make them shine. But both set of fans always wanna deny this.
Would Messi or Cr7 have performed as Baggio did if they were playing for Bologna or Brescia at that time? I doubt it.
No chance in hell would they have been able to inspire Napoli to 2 scudetti , Italian cup and UEFA against the calibre of teams in the 80s.
But according to their fans they both are the GOAT. While neither has a goal between them in the knock out phase of the world cup.
To reply to the author Tevez played with far better midfielders than Ronaldo and that is the crucial difference.
No doubt this site will find fault with my comments as they have done the last 3.
Maybe I should post comments that are racist in their undertone to get through to be seen by the general public.
Tevez vs. Ronaldo !! seriously! if Ronaldo played with Pirlo, Pogba, Vidal, and Marchisio, Juve would have made much better than when having Tevez.
Even at the back Juve had a youner BBC Line, last season they were leaking goals in almost every game. Ronaldo is a great player no doubt, but at age 37 or 38 he is 30% of what he was, he can hardly dribble or sprint, he should have retired after winning with RM his last Euro Champions League, but given his selfish character, i think he will continue to run until he runs off on the field. Maybe after Man U he will come back to serie A to play for Salernitana and pair up with Ribery.
@JUVEFAN – If Ronaldo is 30% of what he was, then his salary should have also been 30% of what it was…He ruined Juve in every footballing way I can imagine. Selfish, self centered and always chasing personal glory…I am glad he is gone…
@mz 100% about his salary but i did not see Juve’s cash flow. I think Agnelli got paid his as much because he wanted to sell more shirts.
What a pointless article! I’m no where close to being a Ronaldo fan boy, but his Juve were no where near as strong as the team Tevez found himself in. Had Ronaldo been part of that Juve side, that also had Pirlo, Vidal, Pogba and Marchisio we’d have been Champions League winners, easily.
Saying that though, Tevez spat blood for the Bianconeri and the same couldn’t be said for Ronaldo, so I will always hold Tevez in higher esteem.