Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival at Real Madrid in 2009 marked the start of a historic era for the Spanish club.
He spent 9 seasons at the Santiago Bernabéu, producing record-breaking feats, iconic moments and a host of trophies.
Here are the star’s top 5 moments at Real Madrid:
Delivering ‘La Decima’ (The Tenth)
Cristiano Ronaldo helped Real Madrid win their coveted tenth Champions League title in 2014, where he scored a crucial goal in a 4-1 win over Atlético Madrid in the final, etching his name forever in the club’s history.
Silencing the Camp Nou
CR7 scored the winning header in extra time in a Copa del Rey final clash that silenced Barcelona at the Camp Nou in 2011.
The 2011 Copa del Rey final between Real Madrid and Barcelona turned into a tense battle despite a goalless first half.
He had Real Madrid’s best chances in the first 45 minutes, with a spectacular save denying him a goal.
Barcelona dominated possession in the second half, with Iniesta and Pedro testing Real Madrid keeper Casillas. The deadlock was finally broken in extra time when Ronaldo headed in Di Maria’s cross to secure victory for Real Madrid.
The match was a tactical affair, with credit going to Real Madrid manager Mourinho’s defensive approach for whitewashing Barcelona’s star-studded attack of Xavi, Iniesta, Messi and Villa.
The overhead kick in Turin
Against a club he would later join, Cristiano Ronaldo defied gravity with a superb overhead kick against Juventus in the 2018 Champions League quarter-finals.
The audacious goal earned him a standing ovation even from Juventus fans, underlining his immense talent.
A relentless goalscorer
Goals were simply second nature to Ronaldo as he broke numerous scoring records at Real Madrid, becoming the club’s all-time top scorer with 450 goals in just 438 appearances.
He averaged more than a goal a game, striking fear into the hearts of opposing defences across Europe.
Match Messi for the Ballon d’Or
Cristiano Ronaldo’s relentless pursuit of excellence was evident in his race with Lionel Messi for the Ballon d’Or.
In 2017, his performance for Real Madrid won him his fifth Ballon d’Or, finally equalling Messi’s record at the time.
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