10 best headers scored by Cristiano Ronaldo - Part 1
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the preeminent headers in world football today. His NBA-style leap, which reaches a ground clearance of 78 cm (31 inches), helps him beat some of the very best defenders in the business and score goals for fun from aerial balls. He has scored headers in some of the most important matches of his life.
While Ronaldo is originally a wide forward himself and has set up his teammates on innumerable occasions for their own headers, he has also been blessed to play with playmakers of the ilk of Ryan Giggs, Gareth Bale, Angel di Maria and Mesut Ozil, among others. This has resulted in him being the most prolific header of the ball in Europe over the last 6 years.
Also read: 10 of Cristiano Ronaldo’s best headers: Part 2
Not only is he a prolific scorer of headed goals, Ronaldo has also turned up with the goods in crunch matches when his teams have needed him the most. The following are the 5 best headers scored by Ronaldo in major tournaments.
#10 Copa del Rey final 2013 vs Atletico Madrid
This is the only goal on this list which Ronaldo has scored in a losing cause. Atletico and Real faced off against each other for their third encounter of the 2012-13 season in the final with more than bragging rights at stake – it was Real’s last remaining opportunity to end the season with a trophy.
Atletico were on a 15-year-long winless streak against Real at the time. Under Diego Simeone, however, they had rallied to a very strong defensive scheme, and had caused Real a number of problems in both of their league encounters that season.
Off a corner swung in by Mesut Ozil, Ronaldo beat off the attentions of Diego Godin to give Real the lead in the 14th minute of the game. It did not stay for long, though, as Diego Costa restored parity for the Rojiblancos in the first half.