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#3 FC Porto
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in every single Champions League group stage match this season. He single-handedly saved Manchester United's campaign and carried them to the knockout rounds. One could argue that the heartbreak inflicted by FC Porto in the early part of 2021 motivated the Portuguese to return with a bang.
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When the 36-year old joined Juventus in 2018, it was mainly to bring Champions League glory to Turin. The Italians were hopeful and dreamt that with the addition of the greatest goalscoring machine in their team, their task would be easier. However, Juventus were restricted to the quarter-finals in Cristiano Ronaldo's first season with the Serie A side.
In the following two successive campaigns, they crashed out in the last-16 stage of the Champions League. In 2021, FC Porto were the team to hand them the disappointment. A team from the star striker's own homeland.
It was a thrilling tie spread over two legs with eight goals in it but none were scored by Cristiano Ronaldo. Juventus lost the away leg 2-1. Despite winning 3-2 at home, it was the team from Portugal that progressed on away goals.
This was one of the rare occasions when Cristiano Ronaldo could not rise to the occasion to bail out his team.
#2 Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool have a habit of dismantling teams in the Premier League. This is how they derive their fun and kick from the game they play at such frantic pace. Cristiano Ronaldo might have thought that they would respect his name and fame but the Reds don't make an exception.
Liverpool inflicted the greatest sorrow on Ole Gunner Solskjaer's reign in his final days in charge with a 5-0 mauling of the Red Devils. It all unfolded right in front of the United supporters at Old Trafford. A stadium that had been abuzz since the Portuguese's arrival with the famous chant, "VIVA RONALDO, VIVA RONALDO" stood grim and in absolute silence.
Truth be told, Liverpool have always been a thorn in the striker's sight and his three goals against them in 15 games makes that evident. On a night when Cristiano Ronaldo almost disappeared from the pitch, Mohamed Salah took over the burden of entertainment and goals.
The Egyptian smashed a hat-trick at Old Trafford, becoming the first Premier League away player to do so. Paul Pogba was shown a red at the hour mark, but the ship had already sailed by then. Even Cristiano Ronaldo lost his head and was lucky not to be sent off for his challenge on Curtis Jones.
5-0? What else do you expect from the players?
#1 Serbia
The regret of not scoring a goal this calendar year against all those aforementioned teams is on one side and not scoring against Serbia on one. Portugal would have been well off had Cristiano Ronaldo contributed with goals against Serbia but the 36-year-old chose the wrong days to go missing.
Twice this year, Fernando Santos and co. have faced the Serbians in World Cup qualifiers, with Cristiano Ronaldo playing all 180 minutes. Unfortunately, he failed to score and couldn't even record an assist throughout the two ties.
The first match was played in March, an away fixture for Portugal which they negotiated a 2-2 draw. Serbia came from 2-0 behind to salvage a point. A reminder that these foes cannot be taken lightly.
It was a controversial game as well because in the dying moments Cristiano Ronaldo did score what looked like a match-winner. However, due to the absence of goal-line technology the goal could not be verified and the on-field referre did not give it.
A similar plot unfolded in the second leg, Portugal leading inside two minutes but then the Serbians pulled the comeback of the year. Cristiano Ronaldo came closest to scoring in this tie with a free-kick effort in the first-half but that was it.
In the 90th minute, Aleksandar Mitrovic rose to the tallest and guided a corner into the net. Portugal only needed a draw to qualify for the World Cup but they were condemned to the play-offs after defeat to Serbia.
