The legendary player has left Europe, but his prime exploits must be remembered.
Cristiano Ronaldo needs no introduction. One of the best players in the world, Ronaldo is often hailed as the king of the UEFA Champions League (UCL), even after he departed from Europe for the Saudi Pro League. Before moving to Saudi Arabia, he amassed tonnes of records, especially in the Champions League.
In this article, allow us the liberty to take you back to 2012, when Ronaldo scored his first UCL hattrick, the year when Ronaldo started scripting a new UCL history.
The day was October 3, 2012, when a young Ronaldo with the Real Madrid squad travelled to the home stadium of Ajax. It was only Ronaldo’s second season at Real Madrid, and he was fuming to prove his worth at one of the best clubs in the world.
The game started with Ajax thwarting almost every Madrid attack in the initial phases until, in the 42nd minute, Karim Benzema took charge of the attack. Despite being a striker, Benzema, for a moment, switched to the left wing, whereas Ronaldo stood in the centre like a poacher.
Benzema dribbled a carried ball through the left and crossed the ball from the middle of four Ajax defenders. Ronaldo was ready for a simple tap-in and made no mistake in scoring his first of three.
The second goal was simple but obnoxious. After halftime, Ronaldo returned with more charge and scored the second in the 48th minute. Once again, it was Benzema who assisted Ronaldo, but this time, two players engaged in a one-two, and Ronaldo scored the goal from outside the penalty box. The keeper, despite managing a full dive, failed to stop the quickfire.
The last goal scored by Ronaldo is our favourite, not because he completed the hattrick but because of his vision in calling for the ball. Ronaldo was in the centre half with three defenders ahead of him. On the extreme right was Khedira, who was carrying the ball forward. Ronaldo started sprinting and asked Khedira to give a long ball pass.
The ball went through the middle of two defenders, and Ronaldo sprinted enough to get hold of the ball without marking himself offside. Using a one-touch, Ronaldo slowed down the ball and calmly chipped over the goalkeeper, who had approached closer to intervene.
The chip went inside, and Ronaldo completed his hattrick in the 81st minute.
October 3, 2012, marked the day of Ronaldo’s arrival on the biggest stage of European club competition.
Despite leaving Europe, Ronaldo is still the tournament’s all-time goal scorer with 141 goals. With no Lionel Messi, Neymar, or other legendary players in the Champions League, Ronaldo’s record will likely remain intact for a long time. Hopes are high for players like Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, but breaking such a record is not a walk in the park.
Ronaldo also holds the record for playing the most Champions League games, with a tally of 187. Surprisingly, Ronaldo is ahead of Messi with 42 assists, whereas Messi, considered a complete footballer, left the stage with 40 assists.
Last but not least, Ronaldo also holds the record for scoring the most goals in a particular season of the UCL. In the 2015/2016 campaign, he scored 11 goals and created the record.
