In Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, Union face one of world's best

What a time it is for area soccer fans.

The Women's World Cup team ended as runner-up to Japan with a squad that included nine people with Philadelphia-area ties.

The Union hold first place in the Eastern Conference in only their second Major League Soccer season.

The U.S men's national team will play a rematch of its Gold Cup final against Mexico in a friendly on Aug. 10 at Lincoln Financial Field.

And one of the greatest soccer players on the planet will invade Philadelphia this weekend when Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo take on the Union at 9 p.m. Saturday in a friendly at the Linc as part of the World Football Challenge.

Whether he is the best player in the world or not, the fact remains that Ronaldo is in the conversation.

The 26-year-old is captain of the Portuguese national team and has already played for two of the world's most storied franchises in all of sports, England's Manchester United and now Spanish power Real Madrid.

The transfer fee from Manchester United to Real Madrid was a reported $131 million.

Last season, Ronaldo set a Real Madrid record by scoring 53 goals.

He had such early success with Manchester United that Ronaldo wanted to scale greater soccer heights, and after Old Trafford there aren't many left.

"Sir Alex Ferguson had a great influence on my development as a young player at Manchester United," Ronaldo said in an e-mail response to The Inquirer. "We reached all our goals including winning the UEFA Champions League and English Premier League title, so I felt it was time for a new challenge."

After winning the Champions League in 2008 with Manchester United, Ronaldo was named the FIFA player of the year.

"He is unpredictable with anything he can do on the field," Union team manager Peter Nowak said. "His speed, his physicality, is something you have to be on your toes every time he touches the ball."

The 6-foot-1 Ronaldo is strong in the air and possesses a wicked shot.

"His ball has amazing speed on it," Nowak said.

There are few things more difficult in sports to do than score goals in soccer, which makes his proficiency that much more amazing. Ronaldo says his success all starts with the work he puts in during daily practices.

"Talent is important in football, but in order to succeed it's important to take that extra time to work on free kicks and practice shooting every day," he said. "You can't be a consistent goal-scorer at the highest levels of football without putting in hard work."

Even prolific goal scorers have their difficult times, and for Ronaldo it has been in the World Cup. In 10 career World Cup games (2006 and 2010) he has two goals and one assist.

Of course, Ronaldo probably has a few World Cups left in him, and every superstar looks for the highest possible challenge, and that remains the biggest one for him.

As it is, stopping him from scoring remains among the sport's most difficult tasks.

Union defender Danny Califf said he has never played against Ronaldo but looks forward to the challenge.

"He has all the tools, physically and mentally, to come out and perform day in and day out regardless of situations, whether it is for the national team or club team," Califf said. "He is a world-class player, and for me it is going to be fun to get out there and kick it around with him and kick him around a little - if I can catch him."

That's a big if, as Chivas Guadalajara discovered firsthand Wednesday. That's when Ronaldo scored a hat trick in Real Madrid's 3-0 win during a World Football Challenge match in San Diego.

Now Ronaldo will take his explosive ability to Philadelphia, bringing a certain aura that is reserved for one of the great athletes in modern times.