Ranking Cristiano Ronaldo’s 10 best seasons as a professional footballer
Cristiano Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the best players to have played the beautiful game, scoring goals and winning titles galore for club and country.
During a nearly two-decade-long career, the 36-year-old has carved out a niche for himself.
Ronaldo is the all-time top scorer for Real Madrid and in Champions League history. Recently, he became the outright top scorer in the history of the European Championships.
The Portugal captain has been a performer par excellence at his last three clubs since emerging on the scene at Sporting Lisbon in the early 2000s. Despite being on the wrong side of 30, he has continued producing jaw-dropping performances belying his years.
On that note, here's a look at the Juventus striker's ten most memorable seasons in club football:
#10 2019-20 season - 37 goals
Continuing from where he left off the previous season, Cristiano Ronaldo produced a fabulous 2019-20 campaign despite Juventus seeing their near decade-long Serie A stranglehold draw to a close.
The Portuguese missed a few games due to COVID-19 and injury. However, he scored a league-leading 29 goals, including a hat-trick against Cagliari to win his first Capocannoniere award.
Ronaldo also scored four times in the Champions League, including a brace away at Barcelona, but failed to avert a second-straight Round-of-16 exit for the Bianconeri.
However, the Portuguese helped Juventus win the Super Cup before becoming the first Bianconeri player to rack up 100 goals for the club in their first three seasons.
#9 2016-17 season - 42 goals
Cristiano Ronaldo conjured his lowest goal tally in the Spanish top flight in seven years. After a slow start to his campaign, his 25 goals, including hat-tricks against Alaves and Atletico Madrid, were enough for Real Madrid to win their first La Liga title in five years.
It was in the Champions League, though, where Ronaldo enjoyed another fabulous campaign. After an uncharacteristically slow start, scoring just twice in six group-stage games, Ronaldo burst to life in the knockout stage.
The Portuguese notched up a brace and a hat-trick as Real Madrid saw off Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals. After becoming the first player to score 100 goals in the competition, Ronaldo followed that up with another hat-trick - this time against Atletico Madrid in the semis - as the Merengues reached the final.
Continuing his rich vein of form, Ronaldo scored a brace against Juventus as Real Madrid became the first team in the Champions League era to successfully defend their title.
#8 2007-08 season - 42 goals
Cristiano Ronaldo produced his true breakthrough season in 2007-08 as the then 23-year-old announced himself on the big stage.
Ronaldo scored a plethora of dazzling free-kicks during the campaign. The Portuguese also notched up his 50th goal for Manchester United as his 31 league strikes helped the English giants to another Premier League title. In the process, he became the first winger to win the prestigious European Golden Shoe.
It was during this season that Ronaldo scored the only hat-trick of his Manchester United career (against Newcastle United).
Ronaldo also shone in the Champions League, scoring eight times, including in the final against Chelsea, as United won the competition.
However, he did miss penalties in the semi-final (against Barcelona) and final (shootout), which are perhaps the only blots in a stellar campaign.
#7 2017-18 season - 44 goals
In what would turn out to be his ninth and final campaign at Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo made sure he signed off on a high.
After a belated start to his La Liga campaign, Ronaldo endured an uncharacteristically slow start, scoring just once in eight games. He gathered steam as the second half of the season rolled along, though.
Ronaldo notched up a flurry of braces and hat-tricks against Real Sociedad and Girona en route to notching up 26 league strikes. However, it was once again in the Champions League where the Portuguese truly shone.
The Portugal captain scored nine times in the group stage as he became the first player in the competition's history to score in all six group games.
Ronaldo scored another six goals in the knockout round, including a dazzling overhead effort against his current club Juventus.
Although he didn't add to his 15-goal tally in the semis and final, Real Madrid achieved an unprecedented three-peat in the Champions League. Ronaldo also became the first player to win the competition five times in the Champions League era.