Peak Cristiano Ronaldo was reached this week, in a multitude of ways, when football’s grand ego received a fifth Ballon d’Or near the summit of Paris’ iconic Eiffel Tower.
Sharp suit, eyebrows plucked to such perfection that a Kardashian would ‘throw shade’ at them and a self-satisfied thumbs up. This was fittingly gaudy further confirmation, if needed, about the Portuguese’s unchecked ascension to phenom.
Away from the diatribes about the sport’s premier narcissist and the trophy which caters to this behaviour, an innate truth is to be found.
To move level with the apparently incomparable Lionel Messi on a quintet of victories is incredible.
But to achieve parity from 4-1 down to the Argentine speaks volumes about a figure who has allied insatiable desire and divine talent like no other figure in the storied history of the Beautiful Game.
Another supreme challenge awaits in 2018. For the first time since the Netherlands’ Wesley Sneijder seven years ago, existential threats to football’s duopoly can be found in both the rise of Neymar and increasing prominence of a rising Real Madrid superstar.
The question now is whether Ronaldo – and even Messi, to a lesser extent – can go to the well once more?
The likes of PSG star Neymar will be serious contenders in 2018.
Ronaldo’s sweeping up of the individual honours has come at a time when careers are traditionally beginning to wind down. Of the multiple Ballon d’Or winners, only fellow Madrid luminary Alfredo Di Stefano was older when he collected his last one – the Argentine at 33 in 1959 edging out his Portuguese successor by one year.
France playmaker Michel Platini was 30 when handed it for the last time. Johan Cruyff’s run of success ended at 27.
There have been diverging hints this term about which fork Ronaldo is charging down. Just two of his 67 attempts on goal in La Liga have gone in, yet in the Champions League he’s become the first footballer to score in all six group matches.
That European competition also defined his greatness in 2016/17. An incredible 10 strikes were registered in the knockouts on the way to Real becoming the first club to return the trophy since AC Milan from 1988-90.
History will need to be repeated to hold off the pretenders to his throne during a year which will be defined by World Cup 2018.
Chief among them is Neymar. With the lavish Paris Saint-Germain project built around the €222 million (Dh961m) forward and with Brazil installed as favourites for next summer’s global extravaganza, usurpation could be at hand.
An enemy within also exists for Ronaldo. The irrepressible Isco was unquestionably Spain’s best performer this year, head coach Zinedine Zidane unpicking his latent talents.
The playmaker already looks on course to better last season’s combined tallies of eight assists and 11 goals in La Liga and the Champions League.
If Madrid become European kings for a third time in a row, the Andalusian might be their major source of inspiration.
Ronaldo’s unquenchable drive to be No1 means he will be aware of old rivals and emerging claimants.
Not that their challenge will create fear. Precedent dictates it’ll only drive him to new heights.
