Ronaldo ‘up there with Pele now’, says Dunphy

Updated: Tuesday, 14 Jan 2014 10:28 | Comments Cristiano Ronaldo accepted the award from Pele Video Audio Eamon Dunphy believes Cristiano Ronaldo has reached the same level as three-time World Cup winner Pele after claiming the Ballon d’Or award on Monday. Ronaldo saw off Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery to break the Barcelona star’s sequence of four wins in a row. Dunphy, who criticised Ronaldo strongly in the past, said he has obtained all the tools needed to be a footballing great. The RTÉ analyst remarked: “He has come on in the last two years to become a very great player. “Pele presented the award and he is up there with Pele now I think. “In the last seven days Eusebio, another great Portugese player, passed away. I think it's

Pele calls for end to protests in Brazil

Brazil legend Pele has urged protesters in his homeland to leave the streets and focus on football. GettyImagesBrazilian protesters demonstrate outside the Arena Castelao in Fortaleza • Duarte: Issues unmasked Demonstrations continued across Brazil on Thursday with protesters notably blocking the main access road to the Arena Castelao, in Fortaleza. The protest was the latest of a wave in recent days that has marred the ongoing Confederations Cup, and has been organised by groups demanding better public services and complaining about the local government. "Let's forget all this commotion happening in Brazil, all these protests, and let's remember how the Brazilian squad is our country and our blood," Pele told O Globo. The former Santos player's appeal, however, was soon derided on social media, with many claiming