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Cristiano Ronaldo’s greatest matches from glittering career

PA Sport Staff
·2-min read

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to make a sensational return to Manchester United.

Here, the PA news agency looks at five of his best performances during his career.

Arsenal 1 Manchester United 3 (Champions League semi-final, second leg, 2009)

Soccer – UEFA Champions League – Semi Final – Second Leg – Arsenal v Manchester United – Emirates Stadium
Ronaldo celebrates scoring against Arsenal (David Davies/PA)

Arguably Ronaldo’s finest display in a Manchester United shirt and a sign of things to come. First, the 40-yard free-kick to put his side 2-1 up on the night. Then, Ronaldo started a move deep in his own half and, via Ji-sung Park and Wayne Rooney, received it fully 70 yards further up the pitch to drive home.

Real Madrid 4 Bayern Munich 2 (Champions League quarter-final, second leg, 2017)

A treble took Ronaldo’s Champions League tally to 100 goals but there was much more to a controversial match. He cancelled out Robert Lewandowski’s penalty with a header but after a Sergio Ramos own goal and a red card for Arturo Vidal it went to extra time. Step up Ronaldo with his left foot and his right foot for the perfect hat-trick.

Juventus 0 Real Madrid 3 (Champions League quarter-final, first leg, 2018)

A post shared by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano)

Ronaldo scored one of the all-time great Champions League goals in another masterclass. The Real forward made history with the first of his two goals to become the only player to score in 10 consecutive Champions League games, and then came up with an incredible overhead kick which even had the Juve fans applauding.

Portugal 3 Spain 3 (World Cup group stage, 2018)

Soccer – 2014 FIFA World Cup – Qualifier – Group F – Portugal v Northern Ireland – Estadio do Dragao
Ronaldo scored an incredible hat-trick against Spain (Andrew Matthews/PA)

A scoreline which should read Ronaldo 3 Spain 3, and the match that set the tournament alight in Russia. Ronaldo opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a penalty and netted again shortly before the break with a strike that was too powerful for David De Gea. A stunning second-half free-kick completed his hat-trick and rescued a point for his country.

Juventus 3 Atletico Madrid 0 (Champions League last 16, second leg, 2019)

A post shared by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano)

Trailing 2-0 from the first leg against the masters of defending a lead? No problem. Ronaldo provided his first world-class display for Juve with another dazzling hat-trick, bringing the tie level with two trademark headers before smashing home the winner from the penalty spot four minutes from time.