From free kicks to bicycle kicks: Cristiano Ronaldo's 10 most mind-blowing moments of his legendary career!
Cristiano Ronaldo is undoubtedly one of the greatest footballers of all time. His incredible skills, precision, and athleticism have taken him to the very top of the sport, and he has won countless awards and accolades throughout his career. From his early days at Sporting CP and Manchester United to his time at Real Madrid and Juventus, Ronaldo has consistently amazed fans with his incredible performances.
One of Cristiano Ronaldo's most notable skills is his ability to score spectacular goals. From free kicks to bicycle kicks, he has scored some of the most impressive goals ever seen on a football pitch. Ronaldo's skill and talent are truly unparalleled, and his ability to score jaw-dropping goals is a testament to his dedication, hard work, and sheer talent.
In this article, we will take a look at Ronaldo's 10 most mind-blowing on-pitch footballing moments. So sit back, relax, and get ready to witness some of the most incredible moments in football history, courtesy of the one and only Cristiano Ronaldo.
#1 First Senior Goal (2003)
Cristiano Ronaldo's first professional goal came in October 2002, when he was just 17 years old and playing for his hometown club, Sporting CP, in a league match against Moreirense.
Cristiano Ronaldo used his characteristic pace and dribbling skills to get past defenders from the halfway line. He then exercised his trademark stepover to get away from the defender at the edge of the box and fired a low shot home. He went on to score another goal in the match, this time a trademark header. Sporting won the game 3-0 and a 17-year-old Ronaldo announced himself on to the world.
#2 First goal for Manchester United (2003)
During his initial six-year stint at Old Trafford, Cristiano Ronaldo scored 84 goals, with his first goal coming in 2003, during a Premier League match against Portsmouth at Old Trafford.
In the 80th minute, Ryan Giggs won a free-kick on the left flank, and Ronaldo stepped up to take it. Despite being positioned near the touchline, Cristiano Ronaldo surprised everyone by drilling the ball low and hard towards the far post. A bouncing effort caught Portsmouth goalkeeper Shaka Hislop off guard, and he could only help it on its way into the top corner of the net.
#3 World Cup incident (2006)
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was an eventful tournament for Cristiano Ronaldo, and one incident in particular stands out. During the quarter-final match between Portugal and England, Ronaldo was involved in a controversial incident with his Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney. The latter stomped on Portugal's Ricardo Carvalho, and Ronaldo intervened to argue with the referee, who eventually showed Rooney a red card.
However, the incident didn't end there. Cristiano Ronaldo was seen winking at the Portuguese bench after the sending off, which led to accusations that he had deliberately influenced the referee's decision. The incident caused huge controversy, and Ronaldo was widely criticized in the English media and by many football fans around the world.
#4 First Hat-trick (2008)
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first hat-trick in January 2008, while playing for Manchester United in a Premier League match against Newcastle United at Old Trafford.
After a goalless first half, Cristiano Ronaldo started off the Newcastle massacre in the 48th minute with a low free kick that sneaked beneath the wall into the back of the goal. Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo combined for the latter's second after Rooney laid the ball on to Tevez, who found the Portuguese icon. He made no mistake in beating Shay Given. Ronaldo completed his hat-trick in the 87th minute with an assured left-footed strike and wrote his name in the history books.
#5 First Champions League trophy (2008)
The 2008 UEFA Champions League final was played in May 2008 between Manchester United and Chelsea at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia. It was the first all-English final in the history of the competition.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring for Manchester United and Frank Lampard equalizing for Chelsea. The game was then decided by a penalty shootout, which Manchester United won 6-5.
Cristiano Ronaldo missed his penalty in the shootout but had Edwin van der Sar to thank for saving his blushes. He saved a telling Nicolas Anelka penalty and gave the former his first UCL trophy.
#6 First Ballon d'Or (2008)
Cristiano Ronaldo won his first Ballon d'Or award in 2008, following his exceptional performances for Manchester United that season. He played a key role in Manchester United's success that year, helping the team win both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.
The Portuguese icon has scored 42 goals in all competitions, including 31 in the Premier League alone, and his performances have caught the attention of football fans and experts around the world. He beat off competition from some of the biggest names in world football, including Lionel Messi, Fernando Torres, and Xavi, to win the award.
#7 Second Ballon d'Or (2013)
Cristiano Ronaldo won his second Ballon d'Or award in 2013, marking a significant achievement in his career. The 2013 season had been a memorable one for Ronaldo, as he finished as the top scorer in the UEFA Champions League with 12 goals.
Cristiano Ronaldo's performances earned him widespread acclaim, and he was seen as one of the leading contenders for the Ballon d'Or award that year. He faced competition from his great rival Lionel Messi, who had won the award in the previous four years, as well as Franck Ribery of Bayern Munich.
#8 Bicycle kick vs. Juventus (2018)
Cristiano Ronaldo's exceptional bicycle kick goal was scored in a UEFA Champions League quarter-final match between them against Juventus in 2018. The match was held at the Allianz Stadium.
In the 64th minute of the match, a cross was delivered to Ronaldo just inside the Juventus penalty area. Without hesitation, Ronaldo launched himself into the air and executed an acrobatic bicycle kick, striking the ball with incredible power and precision. The ball flew past the goalkeeper and into the top corner of the net, leaving both the Juventus fans and players in awe.
The goal was met with immediate applause and admiration from Juventus supporters, and even Juventus' manager Massimiliano Allegri applauded the goal from the sidelines. Cristiano Ronaldo's incredible feat of athleticism and skill quickly went viral, with many pundits and fans hailing it as one of the greatest goals in the history of the Champions League.
#9 Euro 2016 Final
Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal to their first-ever major international tournament victory in the Euro 2016 final against France, despite being forced to leave the game early due to injury.
The match took place in July 2016, at the Stade de France in Paris and was expected to be a closely contested battle between two of Europe's best teams. In the 25th minute of the match, Ronaldo suffered a knee injury after a challenge from France's Dimitri Payet, and was forced to leave the pitch in tears.
The match remained scoreless after 90 minutes, and extra time was needed to separate the two sides. In the 109th minute, Portugal scored what proved to be the winning goal, with Eder producing a stunning long-range strike to beat the French goalkeeper and send the Portuguese fans into raptures.
Despite not being able to play for most of the game, Ronaldo's leadership from the sidelines played a crucial role in Portugal's historic victory. His absence on the pitch was felt, but his presence off it helped to motivate and encourage his teammates to believe in themselves and to fight for every ball.
#10 Most goals and international caps in men's football history
Cristiano Ronaldo has made a career out of achieving the impossible with ruthless efficiency in front of the net. You name the record, he's probably shattered it - whether it's for Real Madrid, Portugal, or even men's football as a whole!
And let's not forget that he's still going strong - at 38 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo is showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, he has scored the most goals in the history of men's football, with 122 goals in 198 games. In fact, he broke another record recently, becoming the most capped player in men's international football, surpassing Kuwait's Bader Al-Mutawa (196 caps).