Top 5 UEFA Champions League performances by Cristiano Ronaldo

Parma Calcio v Juventus - Serie A
Ronaldo will hold the key for Juventus this time around in the Champions League

Cristiano Ronaldo is undoubtedly the king of the Champions League nights. He can not be compared to anyone on UCL nights and his stats speak for him. With 121 goals (and counting) to his name, he is the tournament's all-time leading scorer in just 157 appearances. Here we take a look at his top five performances in the UEFA Champions League.


#5 Arsenal vs Manchester United, 2008–09 UEFA Champions League, Semi-Finals - 2nd Leg

Arsenal v Manchester United - UEFA Champions League Semi Final
Ronaldo put Arsenal to the sword with his fine performance

Result: Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United

Arsene Wenger's hopes of overcoming a one-goal deficit and dreams of leading his side to European success ended inside 11 minutes as United struck twice to silence the home team supporters at the Emirates.

Ji-Sung Park pounced on Kieran Gibbs' slip up set up by Ronaldo for a close-range finish just after eight minutes. Minutes later Cristiano Ronaldo blasted a 40-yard free-kick into the back of the net giving the keeper Manuel Almunia no chance. It was an absolute belter hit with power and precision.

Ronaldo for most of the game tried testing Almunia and finally scored his second goal of the game after 61 minutes.

From an Arsenal corner, Ronaldo found Park just 20 yards from his own penalty area. Ji-Sung and Rooney combined well before laying it up for Ronaldo who was there to complete the counter with a finish high past Almunia.

Ronaldo was named the Man of the Match after scoring twice and assisting once, helping his side reach the UCL final in a bid to retain their title.

#4 FC Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid C.F, 2013-14 UEFA Champions League Semi-Finals - 2nd Leg

Real Madrid v FC Bayern Muenchen - UEFA Champions League Semi Final
Ronaldo’s double took him to 16 goals, the highest goal tally in a single Champions League season

Result: Bayern Munich 0-4 Real Madrid C.F

Ronaldo ripped up the defending European champions’ defence with a brilliant performance that propelled this joyful Real Madrid side into the final after 12 years of wait to get their tenth, La Décima.

Ronaldo’s double took him to 16 goals, the highest goal tally in a single Champions League season.

Sergio Ramos destroyed Bayern with a quick brace early into the game and to make matters worse Bayern simply could not deal with Ronaldo and were unable to contain him.

Real Madrid broke loose on various occasions using the pace of Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, with the latter setting up Ronaldo’s first before the break, making it 3-0 on the night.

Real simply converted their devastating counter-attack with BBC at their very best.

Benzema played the ball through and Bale was off and running, sprinting to the edge of the area before selflessly squaring the ball to Ronaldo who calmly stroked the ball into the back of the net leaving Pep with no answer.

And Bayern suffered a final nail in the coffin at the 89th-minute mark when Ronaldo curled a 20-yard free-kick under a jumping wall to stun everyone as Neuer could do nothing but to applaud the genius of this man.

Ronaldo stayed true to his word who after missing a penalty against Bayern in 2012 promised the fans saying "I owe you a champions league final, and I won't fail you this time. Trust in me"

#3 Juventus vs Real Madrid C.F, 2017-18 UEFA Champions League quarter-Finals - 2nd Leg

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The Portuguese superstar became the first player in the competition's history to score in 10 consecutive appearances

Result: Juventus 0-3 Real Madrid C.F

The game started with a bang when Cristiano quick fired Madrid into the lead. Ronaldo buried a cross from Isco within three minutes, but Juventus were probably the better of the teams in an open first half.

Allegri's side continued to press and pressurize after the break in an attempt to redeem themselves and get back into the game but Ronaldo struck again in the 64th minute, sending an overhead kick past the motionless Gianluigi Buffon who stood there in awe to earn a standing ovation from the home fans sending the stadium into a frenzy. Ronaldo acrobatically fired Dani Carvajal's cross into the net from 12 yards out.

The Portuguese superstar became the first player in the competition's history to score in 10 consecutive appearances, a run that began when Madrid beat Juventus 4-1 in Cardiff.

With the home crowd still recovering from that Ronaldo's power strike, Marcelo combined well with Isco and Ronaldo before clipping the ball over Buffon to make it 3-0 for the night and leaving little for Juventus to chase.

#2 Real Madrid C.F v Atletico Madrid, 2016-17 UEFA Champions League Semi-Finals -1st Leg

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Ronaldo's hat-trick propelled Madrid into the final

Result: Real Madrid C.F 3-0 Atletico Madrid

Ronaldo scored a hat trick in his second straight Champions League game as Real Madrid swept aside city rivals Atletico 3-0 at the Bernabeu after thrashing Bayern Munich earlier.

Real Madrid dominated from the opening whistle and was rewarded with an early goal as Ronaldo headed home in the 10th minute converting Casemiro's cross after rising above all.

The second half started equally slow, as Atletico looked resolute not to concede anymore until Ronaldo doubled their lead in the 73rd minute when Benzema shrugged off a challenge from Godin and the ball came to Ronaldo, who got the better of by Felipe Luis and slammed it on the half volley giving Oblak no chance.

And Ronaldo soon made it three following a counter-attack after Lucas Vazquez did well to get in round the back and find Ronaldo, who deceived Oblak to send him the wrong way for his third of the night.

It was a night to remember for Cristiano who showed no signs of slowing down even at 32 years of age giving Atletico and Bayern a bashing.

#1 Real Madrid vs Wolfsburg, UEFA Champions League 2015-16 quarter-finals, 2nd leg

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Ronaldo contributed in other ways to his team's fine comeback win

Result: Real Madrid C.F 3-0 Wolfsburg

Los Blancos lost their first leg 2-0, to the surprise of many people. No one expected them to lose.

The players were bashed for their performances but the players assured the fans that they'll play with all their heart to overturn the tie and even issued warnings saying 90 minutes at Bernabeu is a long time.

Wolfsburg came to Bernabeu with a healthy lead to protect but Ronaldo had other plans for them.

Within the space of 90 seconds, he scored twice to bring the scores level on aggregate. He scored the first one after Dante and Naldo failed to deal with a low lying cross from Carvajal. Later, he headed in a corner swung in by Toni Kroos after making a darting run in the box.

The match looked set to be decided in Extra time but with just 13 minutes to go, Ronaldo lined up to take a free-kick.

The ball swirled its way to the left of Benaglio, making its way from a gap in the wall spotted brilliantly by Ronaldo.

In the end, Ronaldo’s hat-trick was enough to take them to the semi-final after a scare in the first leg. Apart from the hat-trick, Ronaldo contributed in other ways to his team's fine comeback win.

His work-rate was phenomenal and kept harrying defenders and this performance grabbed him the match ball along with a standing ovation from the fans for his heroics.

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Edited by Alan John