Cristiano Ronaldo's 3 greatest outings in a Portugal jersey

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Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of only six players overall, and the only active one, to have scored over 700 goals for club and country.

The Juventus striker has scored 607 goals for four club sides (Sporting Lisbon - 5, Manchester United - 118, Real Madrid - 450 and Juventus - 34) in four different countries, and 95 goals for his national team Portugal.

Ronaldo's tally of goals for his national team is the highest by any European player and second only to Iranian legend Ali Daei's tally of 109, who is the only player in international football to have scored over 100 goals.

Having made his debut as a 17-year-old for the A. Selecao in a 2003 friendly against Kazakhstan, Ronaldo scored in his first goal against Greece in a 1-2 loss during the Euro 2004 group stage. He suffered final heartbreak against the same opposition in the final but went on to lift his biggest title for the national team at Euro 2016, where Portugal beat France in the title match.

Ronaldo is the highest scorer in Euro qualifying, Euro tournament proper and FIFA World Cup qualifying (by an European player). On that note, here is a flashback of Ronaldo's three finest performances in a national team jersey.

#3 2014 World Cup Qualifier: Northern Ireland-2 Portugal-4

Ronaldo celebrates one of his goals against Northern Ireland in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier
Ronaldo celebrates one of his goals against Northern Ireland in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier

In a key 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying game, Portugal travelled to Belfast to face Northern Ireland. Bruno Alves opened the scoring for the visitors but goals from Gareth McAuley and Jamie Ward provided a 2-1 lead to the hosts.

In a game Portugal couldn't afford to lose as they were chasing eventual table toppers Russia for top spot and an automatic berth at the 2014 World Cup, Ronaldo's header midway through the second half restored parity for the visitors.

Another header from the talismanic player restored Portugal's lead 13 minutes from time. And the three points were rubber-stamped when Ronaldo scored a fine freekick to bulge the Northern Irish net.

This marked Ronaldo's first-ever hat-trick for his national team.

Although Portugal failed to clinch the top spot in the group by a point, another three-goal haul from Ronaldo saw the Iberian nation go past Sweden in the playoffs and confirm a place in the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

#2 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifier Playoff Second Leg: Sweden-2 Portugal-3 (Aggregate: Sweden-2 Portugal-4)

Cristiano Ronaldo exults after scoring in a 2014 FIFA WC qualifier playoff against Sweden
Cristiano Ronaldo exults after scoring in a 2014 FIFA WC qualifier playoff against Sweden

After Portugal narrowly missed out to Russia for a direct spot at the 2014 World Cup, the Iberian nation faced Sweden in a two-legged playoff to qualify for the quadrennial tournament.

Portugal arrived at the Friend's Arena in Solna, Stockholm for the second leg on the back of a 1-0 first leg advantage. On a night where the host nation looked up to their inspirational captain Zlatan Ibrahimovich for some magic to rubber-stamp their return to the World Cup after missing out in 2010, it was Ronaldo who stole the limelight.

After a goalless first half in the Swedish capital, Portugal adapted better to a difficult surface recently relaid for the World Cup play-off as Ronaldo's low left-footed shot beat Andreas Isaksson and doubled Portugal's aggregate lead. With Sweden now needing three goals to qualify, Ibrahimovich's header reduced the deficit to two.

When the talismanic Swedish captain scored off a freekick, the Friends Arena rose in anticipation as Portugal's aggregate lead had evaporated and they only led on away goals (3-3). But Ronaldo turned up once again to douse the home hopes, as he scored his second of the night with another left-footed effort which was even applauded by Ibrahimovich.

Minutes later, Ronaldo completed his second hat-trick for Portugal as the match ceased to be a contest. In the process, Ronaldo became only the fourth Portuguese player (Eusébio, Pedro Pauleta and Nuno Gomes being the others), to score multiple hat-tricks for the A. Selecao.

#1 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Group-Stage: Spain-3 Portugal-3

Ronaldo scored all three goals against Spain in a 2018 FIFA World Cup match
Ronaldo scored all three goals against Spain in a 2018 FIFA World Cup match

It was an all-Iberian clash in Sochi which provided the early fireworks at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Ronaldo capitalized on a blunder by Spain goalkeeper David de Gea to open the scoring from the spot after just 4 minutes on the clock, and that marked the earliest goal conceded by Spain at a World Cup.

Diego Costa equalized for the 2010 champions midway through the second half, but Ronaldo's second of the match, on the cusp of halftime, gave Portugal a 2-1 lead.

Spain restored parity again through Costa and when Ronaldo's Madrid teammate Nacho Fernandez found the back of the net with a spectacular long-ranger at the hour mark, Spain were ahead for the first time in the game.

As Spain began to harbour thoughts of taking all three points with the game moving into the final three minutes of regulation time, in stepped the Portugal captain.

When Ronaldo was fouled on the edge of the Spain penalty box, the talismanic captain arose to curl in a superb freekick to beat De Gea and Spain for the third time in the match. Portugal snatched a share of the spoils in an entertaining six-goal thriller in the Black Sea resort city, and they had their captain to thank for that.

It marked the first time in 45 attempts that Ronaldo scored off a freekick at the Euros or World Cup, while becoming the first player ever to score in eight consecutive international tournaments (2004 Euros to 2018 FIFA World Cup). Ronaldo also emulated Pele, Uwe Seeler and Miroslav Klose as the only players to score in four different World Cup tournaments.

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