'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
With Liverpool having won the Champions League and nothing else left to play for at the club level, naturally all attention turned to the debate over who deserves to win the Ballon d'Or 2019.
Lionel Messi had been the overwhelming favorite to triumph for the sixth time and first since 2015 heading into the final weeks of the season, but his no-show in Barcelona's capitulation to Liverpool probably saw him lose his previously firm grip on the prize.
A certain Virgil Van Dijk has emerged as the favorite for the prize, with his impressive displays en route Liverpool's Champions League triumph as well as their Premier League title tilt; putting him in good stead in the eyes of pundits and fans alike.
There has been almost no mention of Cristiano Ronaldo in the debate and Jose Mourinho was one among many who beloved the Portuguese international did not deserve the award for a record sixth time.
The Madeira native finished the just-concluded season with 28 goals in all competitions, which was considered poor by his usual standards. It was also his lowest total since his final season at Manchester United way back in 2009.
21 of those goals came in the league, but it was for his Champions League prowess that Juventus broke the bank to sign him and despite starting the campaign slowly with just one goal from his first six matches, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner sparked to life in the second leg of the quarterfinal clash against Atletico Madrid, scoring a memorable hat-trick to down Diego Simeone's men.
He was however powerless to stop the Bianconeri's elimination at the next stage to Ajax and despite becoming the first man to win the League title as well as best player award in England, Spain and Italy, many saw his early exit from Europe as a dis-qualifier to his Ballon d'Or stake.
Having sat out all of Portugal's Nations League group stage matches, Cristiano Ronaldo was back in the squad for the semifinal fixture with Switzerland and he announced his return with a bang, scoring a breathtaking hat-trick to remind critics of just how great he is.
He opened the scoring after just 25 minutes, scoring his 86th goal in international colors to take him further clear as the second highest goalscorer in the history of men's international football.
It was not just any ordinary goal though, as Ronaldo made a mockery of those who suggested that he could no longer be considered a set-piece specialist, with a well-taken free kick from the edge of the area past a hapless Yann Sommer.
It was Ronaldo's first direct free kick goal since netting the third late in the game in the thrilling 3-3 draw with Spain at the last World Cup, and while Lionel Messi might have proved to be the more lethal of the two when it comes to free kicks in recent years, his Portuguese rival showed that he still has it in him.
Having seen Ricardo Rodriguez cancel his opener with a penalty and with the game seemingly heading into extra-time, Ronaldo once again took the bull by its horn, forcing the issue with a well taken brace in as many minutes to send his country to the final of the first ever UEFA Nations League on Sunday.
His second on the night was claimed with just two minutes left, as the poster boy of football was on hand to show his predatory striker's instinct, placing a one-touch finish from a Bernardo Silva cross to put his side 2-1 up.
The replays had barely finished playing when Ronaldo got his seventh international hat-trick, recreating a scene which we had seen multiple times in the past but not recently.
In scenes reminiscent from his wing wizard days at Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo received the ball out wide on the left, took a few touches, performed some step overs, leaving Manuel Akanji for dead before rifling into the far corner.
In between the goals, there were multiple flicks, tricks and through passes, as a vintage Ronaldo showed that claims of his decline are greatly exaggerated.
On the night, Portugal were truly atrocious and struggled to find fluidity, but Ronaldo proved to be the difference once again.
Cristiano Ronaldo made his international bow in 2003 and almost immediately identified himself as a talent for the future and here he is - 157 matches and 88 goals later, still carrying on as the talisman of the team.
It is almost unbelievable that Ronaldo clocked 34 exactly four months ago and as though his longevity is not legendary enough, he continues to perform at such an extraterrestrial level far beyond what younger player can even dream of reaching.
Following his hat-trick heroics, Ronaldo has fired his country into the final of the Nations League where they could potentially come up against the man who many say is most deserving of Ronaldo's beloved prize.
If Ronaldo can successfully find a way past Virgil Van Dijk (if the Netherlands qualify) at the second time of asking and guide his nation to a second major trophy in three years, detractors would no longer be confident in their stance that he does not deserve the 2019 Ballon d'Or.
