Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year for the second straight year.

A moment of honesty, if you will allow me.

I used to Hate (and no, that’s not an overstatement) Cristiano Ronaldo. Every year when I got a copy of Fifa, my first move would always be to trade him from United. I’d accept the first offer just to be rid of him. When watching the Euro 2004 finals in a bar in Paris, I was one of two guys in the entire bar that was rooting for Greece. The other guy, a hilariously drunk Englishman was rooting for them because he had placed a large wager against Portugal and was hoping for a big payday. I was rooting for Greece specifically because I didn’t like Cristiano and his ridiculously large diamond stud earrings nor his ridiculously large swagger. He was too young, too petulant, and maybe too promising for my liking.

I openly said that I’d be happy to see him leave United after the World Cup 2006 fiasco. Seeing England go out was terrible, but his involvement in Rooney’s sending off was almost unforgivable.

But then something happened.

Cristiano grew up.

Over the past two seasons he’s matured considerably, and I defy anyone to say otherwise. Gone are the days of theatrical dives, of cry-baby faces at every non-call. There is not one player that I see in any league fouled more than him, but he now gets up quickly and then makes the opposition pay. He’s earned a lot of begrudging respect over the past season and even the one prior. He’s atoned for his previous sins and won-over the crowd at Old Trafford.

I guess that all this is to say that players can change. I love seeing him score now because it is as though he knows he is working to pay off a debt to the fans. He scores now to earn respect of his peers and the fans of the game, and when he does you can see the expression on his face is not one of joy but one of a person overcoming a burden.

He is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best player in the world right now. He will win the World Player of the Year honours as well and no one will have legitimate argument against it.

I won’t forget his past - I still hate that kid - but I love the player he’s become and I respect his ambition and drive and how he’s carried a team full of greats.