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Cristiano Ronaldo is well-recognized as a man for the big occasions. The Portuguese has produced some of the most decisive performances in the history of the game, stepping up to the grandest of stages and single-handedly destroying even the greatest teams on the continent.
His displays have shocked the likes of Spain at the 2018 World Cup, destroying the likes of Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus in the Champions League in recent years. Cristiano Ronaldo has been nothing short of a real nightmare for many teams.
However, it is worth noting that Cristiano Ronaldo has also found himself at the victim end of such spectacular performances - engineered by other legendary superstars in the game over the last couple of years. These players managed to steal the spotlight from the Portuguese by producing some unbelievable displays that will be remembered for long.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five players who managed to outperform Cristiano Ronaldo on the grandest stages. They are as follows:
#5 Luis Suarez: Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona (21-11-2015)
Those who watch the El Clasico know just how important it is for Real Madrid and Barcelona. Featuring great intensity, constant bust-ups and incredible skills on display as the biggest superstars lock horns at the most iconic stadiums on the continent - there's a reason why this fixture is regarded as the biggest in football.
Luis Suarez managed to outshine Cristiano Ronaldo in this great clash in November 2015 when Real Madrid hosted Barcelona for a La Liga game at the Santiago Bernabeu. Deployed in his natural center-forward role, the Uruguayan started troubling Los Blancos' defense immediately after kick-off.
It took him just 11 minutes to open the scoring with Neymar and Andres Iniesta adding to the Blaugrana's lead. While Keylor Navas managed to keep a rampant Suarez at bay with a number of spectacular saves, there was nothing he could do when the striker returned with a powerful right-footed shot in the 74th minute to make it 4-0.
#4 Lionel Messi: Barcelona 2-0 Manchester United (27-05-2009)
Cristiano Ronaldo managed to defend the UEFA Champions League title with Real Madrid for the first time in history in 2017 - but he could have done that eight years earlier if not for a certain man named Lionel Messi and his unstoppable Barcelona side.
Still at Manchester United, the Portuguese won his first European crown in 2008 and was close to making it two in a row as the Reds Devils appeared in the final of the tournament once again in 2009.
However, Lionel Messi proved to be a huge tormentor that night and barely gave the Premier League giants any breathing space. Samuel Eto'o put the Blaugrana ahead within 10 minutes before Messi (5 ft 7in) came back to score one of the most mysterious goals ever in the 70th minute - beating Rio Ferdinand (6 ft 2in) to score a towering header that killed United's hopes.
#3 Thomas Muller: Germany 4-0 Portugal (16-06-2014)
After suffering humiliation at the hands of a Cristiano Ronaldo-led Real Madrid side in the Champions League semifinals in 2014, Bayern Munich attacker Thomas Muller finally got the chance to get revenge as Germany clashed with Portugal just two months later.
The supporting striker wasted no time launching his revenge mission, drawing first blood via a penalty kick in the 12th minute. After Matt Hummels doubled Germany's lead, Muller returned with another goal just before half-time. He added his third in the 74th minute complete a sensational hat-trick and an impressive 4-0 victory for Joachim Lowe's men on the grandest stage of all.
#2 Tuncay Sanli: Fenerbache 3-0 Manchester United (12-08-2004)
It was a major upset as Fenerbache and Manchester United locked horns in a Champions League game on December 8, 2004. That night, a fast-rising Cristiano Ronaldo was humbled by Turkish attacker Tuncay Sanli.
Not many can remember what happened that night. Sanli ran riot and gave the Red Devils a tough time throughout the encounter. Following a goalless first half, the attacker stepped up and took total control of the match immediately after the restart.
He scored the first goal of the night just two minutes into the second half and doubled Fenerbache's lead in the 62nd minute. By the time the game reached the 90th minute mark, Sanli had made it a hat-trick, concluding one of the finest individual performances in Champions League history.
#1 Robert Lewandowski: Borussia Dortmund 4-1 Real Madrid (24-4-2013)
Not many players can claim to have scored a hat-trick against a team that featured Cristiano Ronaldo, not to talk of making it four. But that's exactly what Polish striker Robert Lewandowski did when he faced the Portuguese in the Champions League in 2013
The attacker was still at Borussia Dortmund when he staged this incredible display, single-handedly destroying Real Madrid at Signal Iduna Park. He opened the scoring as early as the eighth minute and Ronaldo restored parity in the 43rd minute.
Then began the Lewandowski show. The Polish forward ran riot in the second half, scoring thrice in 17 minutes to make it a quadruple of goals and ensuring the BVB secured a 4-1 triumph on their home ground.
