Cristiano Ronaldo: 10 Things the Real Madrid Star Needs To Improve in 2012

Either you love him or you hate him. Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably one of the best soccer players of our time.

CR7 has demonstrated why he's always been a cornerstone for the teams he has played. Sporting, Manchester United and Real Madrid know how much of a difference he makes when he's on the pitch.

But since no one is perfect, here are 10 things Cristiano Ronaldo needs to improve next year.

All those bashings of and complaints to referees, coaches, teammates and opponents need to stop. Of course it is part of fair play, but it also shows immaturity.

It's not like Cristiano is a robot, but he needs to learn how to play his cards.

Handling the media and saying the right thing at the right time is something very complicated. Maybe one of Cristiano's most controversial declarations came back in September.

After the match against Dinamo Zagreb, he told the media that people envy him because he was rich, handsome and an excellent player.

He might be lethal in front of the goal, but he rarely supports the defense.

Being a striker doesn't exempt him from going back to defend his goal when his teammates are having trouble.

The latest example of his lack of definition is El Clásico.

He had at least two clear opportunities to score, but he couldn't convert them. He has had the same problem when playing for his country.

He's strong, but still dives. This is by far one of the worst things a footballer can do and when it comes from a guy like CR7, it definitely looks terrible.

Well, a world-class player needs to stick to fair play and CR7 does not always do so.

He throws the ball to one side instead of giving it to the opponent, tackles recklessly, pushes other players, as well as more actions of the kind.

He is Portugal's captain and one of the cornerstones of Real Madrid, but CR7 needs to work on his maturity and attitude to allow him to become an even better leader.

Cristiano may be a great footballer, but he needs to prove it both on and off the pitch. When he manages to put together his game with his attitude, we'll see a monster.

Oh yes, Cristiano falls short when the big games come, like El Clásico.

When Real Madrid faces Barcelona, it seems like Ronaldo is not even there; he doesn't make a difference, like he does in other games.

He needs to find himself and become the leader he has proven to be.

As in El Clásico, when Cristiano plays for the national team, his performance isn't what everybody expects.

For instance, in October 12, 2010, Portugal faced Iceland and CR7 made his last goal with The Navigators, at least for 11 months (official competition).

He scored twice in friendly matches (Argentina and Luxembourg), but it wasn't until last September when Cristiano found the net again, in a Euro 2012 Qualifier against Cyprus.

If there's someone that has been criticized by media and fans for selfishness on the pitch, it's CR7.

He really needs to commit to teamwork; he can't do everything all the time. Sometimes you just need to trust your teammates and understand that they also play a key role.