It has certainly been a stellar year for Cristiano Ronaldo, culminating in being crowned the world’s best player over the course of the past 12 months by claiming the 2016 FIFA Ballon d’Or.
There have been a number of highlights in Ronaldo’s calendar year for both club and country.
Riddled with trophies, goal scoring exploits out of this world and a number of records, there are plenty of highlights from 2016 to choose from.
And, here, we pick out five of Ronaldo’s most defining moments from this past year that saw him win FIFA’s top individual gong.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WIN
An 11th European Cup was Real Madrid’s at the end of May, courtesy of victory over city rivals Atletico.
Ronaldo fired his team to the final at Milan’s San Siro and after extra-time penalties were needed to separate the two La Liga heavyweights.
Up stepped Ronaldo with his team’s fifth penalty, duly sealing the win and Champions League trophy in fitting fashion.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GOLDEN BOOT
Ronaldo’s stamp on Real’s Champions League win was not solely the defining winning penalty.
Throughout the campaign he delivered when his side needed it the most and his goalscoring record was nothing short of incredible.
Ronaldo registered 16 goals in the competition to secure the golden boot, seven more efforts than next-best Robert Lewandowski in a landmark European season for the Portuguese.
SINGLE-HANDED HEROICS
Most of the world’s greatest players are defined by their ability to take games by the scruff of the neck and settle outcomes with their own brilliance.
Ronaldo is no different and his year was marked by two particularly significant matches of sheer individual brilliance that hauled his side over he line.
Trailing Wolfsburg 2-0 going into the second-leg of the Champions League quarter-final, Ronaldo scored a hat-trick to see Real through 3-2 in stunning fashion.
Then, going into the final round of fixtures of Euro 2016’s Group Stages, Portugal were heading out of the tournament until Ronaldo’s brace against Hungary secured a dramatic 3-3 draw that saw his nation scrape through to the knockouts.
EURO 2016
Those efforts against Hungary were to prove a turning point in Portugal’s tournament.
Woeful in the Groups, they were rejuvenated by Ronaldo’s brilliance that ultimately saw them lift the Euro 2016 crown.
Another penalty against Poland set the ball rolling in the quarters, while his performance against Wales in the semi-finals was sensational.
With three goals, Ronaldo finished the tournament’s joint second-highest goalscorer and it was the Real Madrid man that provided his side with inspiration at every turn.
REAL’S UNREAL UNBEATEN RUN
His club side may have missed out on the 2015-16 La Liga title but 2016 has been a year of utter dominance for Real.
This past weekend they extended their current unbeaten run to 35 matches in all competitions as Ronaldo and Co. steamroll their way past opposition at home and abroad.
It has been a monumental effort from all involved and Ronaldo’s performances have been at their heart throughout.
