Ronaldo finishes year with a flourish

(CNN) -- Placed third behind Kaka and Lionel Messi in voting for FIFA's prestigious world player of the year award earlier this month, Cristiano Ronaldo said he was just pleased to be nominated.

On current form however, Manchester United's Portuguese forward may soon have to start thinking about his acceptance speech for the 2008 award.

Having arrived at Old Trafford as a highly-rated but untested 18-year-old winger from Sporting Lisbon for close to $24m -- stepping into the No. 7 shirt vacated by David Beckham -- at 21 Ronaldo has developed as hoped into United's pivotal player.

Last season Ronaldo scored 17 Premier League goals as United surged to their first title since 2003. But it was the swagger that Ronaldo brought to Alex Ferguson's side as much as the end product that caught the eye.

With instinctive ball control, a battery of tricks and feints to give fullbacks sleepless nights and devastating pace, Ronaldo is fast becoming the sort of player that United fans will one day tell their grandchildren about -- a latter-day George Best, though so far without the off-the-field problems that ultimately tarnished the Northern Irishman's career.

After a slow start to the season, Ronaldo has continued where he left off, finding the net 12 times in the Premier League already, including three times over the crucial festive fixtures to help United claim top spot from Arsenal.

Against Everton on Saturday, Ronaldo produced a performance described by United coach Ferguson as "absolutely perfect," first sauntering through the Everton midfield before unleashing a swerving shot that found the net from beyond the penalty area and then slotting home a late penalty to seal the points.

Ronaldo was on target again on Wednesday with a superb freekick as he orchestrated United's effortless 4-0 win over Sunderland.

Many argue that Ronaldo is already well on his way to becoming not just the world's best player but one of the all-time greats.

United's assistant coach Carlos Queiroz -- Ronaldo's countryman -- said last week: "During my career, I have worked with some of the world's finest players like Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo of Brazil, Raul, Luis Figo and Roberto Carlos. Yet, I can honestly say, I have never seen a player like Cristiano Ronaldo."

"Cristiano will not only become the biggest sporting attraction in England, but also in Europe and the rest of the world. He will be a world star in football like Michael Jordan was in basketball. That is because both of these sporting greats share the same skill level in their different fields. They have both been blessed with a genius that has never been seen before."

Two occasions in 2008 could help Ronaldo take a step towards reaching that level. The first is the Champions League final in Moscow in May.

United have been the most consistent team in this year's competition and, with impressive squad depth, look better-placed to win European football's top prize than at any time since their previous success in 1999 -- yet it is unlikely they will do so without Ronaldo reproducing his Premier League form in continental competition.

The second event is the European Championship in Austria and Switzerland next summer. In a wide open competition, Portugal look as well placed as any team to claim the title and a draw that grouped them with Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Turkey gives them every chance of reaching the quarterfinals in good condition.

Having matured as an international footballer during Portugal's run to the 2006 World Cup semifinals, perhaps Euro 2008 could be Ronaldo's moment. E-mail to a friend