Ronaldo was never a playmaker though. Not even in his United days. He did have a knack for the last pass then but as a prpduct of a counter attack.
To be a playmaker you need to play through the middle of the field, which he has never done.
His strength now lays in his experience, positioning, and air game - all areas that can be usrful in the last stretch of a game when you need to decide the game.
The only mistake they can make with him, in my opinion, is play him every game from the first minute.
