Best footballers of 2013: Cristiano Ronaldo

If you continue to do the right things, then one day you would surely be rewarded. And that reward isn’t perfection in the work that you do, but universal acclaim, which is more valuable than anything else in this world. A wise man once said “If you think you’re perfect already, then you never will be”. And if you are wondering as to who that wise man was, it was none other than Real Madrid and Portugal forward, Cristiano Ronaldo.

After listening to those words of wisdom, you would be forgiven for thinking that those were the words of some great philosopher. But, Cristiano once again proved that he is good, not just with his feet, but his words as well. A man sworn to being the best at all times, Cristiano made a mockery of statistics once again in 2013.

When many were starting to think that, he had achieved his peak in 2012, the Madeira-born Forward, showed that perfection is not the end of the game, but the start of a new one. He started 2013, in the only way, he knew how, with a brace against Real Sociedad. That was the first of what proved to be a phenomenal year in terms of just goals. He ended the year with 53 goals and 13 assists in 44 appearances across all competitions for Real Madrid.

Those numbers meant not only did he finish the calendar year as the leading goal scorer in Europe, but also as the player with the most shots on goal. And for all his goal scoring records, he still continues to contribute to the team, by means of assists and a testament to that is the fact that he has also managed to feature in the top six in the assists chart for the calendar year. Those 53 goals, included a staggering 12 braces and 5 hat-tricks, a feat many players would struggle to achieve, over the course of their entire career, let alone in just a single year.

The sheer number of goals that he has scored or assisted in, in the calendar year, make him arguably the most lethal forward, anywhere in the world. And, this is on the back of a year, in which, there were rumours of him wanting out of Real Madrid and had his thunder stolen by Gareth Bale, whom, if reports are to be believed, is the most expensive player in the world, beating the record held previously by Ronaldo after his move to Real in 2009 from Manchester United.

Now, those would have been reason enough for most players to throw a tantrum and stop contributing as well as they have been thus far. But, the simple fact is that, Ronaldo is not most players. The Portuguese forward, has proven time and again that it is in the face of adversity that he thrives and he revels in the criticism that often comes his way.

If there is one criticism that is often levied at Ronaldo, it is the fact that, he is unable to replicate, the achievements of his club for his country. In Euro 2012, when he dragged his team to the semifinals, most of those critics were silenced. But, there will still those, who were on his back, after Portugal yet again failed to qualify directly from the qualifying group. And when the draw for the playoff was made, the clash against Sweden was one that was tailor-made for him.

Realizing that he had the opportunity to silence those critics once and for all, Cristiano took advantage of it and did just that as he led his side single-handedly into the World Cup, whilst becoming the country’s second goal scorer of all-time with his eyes firmly set on becoming first, before too long. And when one takes into consideration, his achievements for Portugal as well, then the Portuguese forward finished 2013 with a mind-boggling 63 goals and 13 assists, which are out of this world, when considering the fact that he predominantly plays as a winger.

Whilst the statistics paint a wonderful picture, they don’t necessarily paint the entire one. And whilst it is true that Cristiano once again had a record-breaking calendar year, it was his performances that made all the difference to his side. By virtue of his acts, he did something that not many associate with him, he became a leader.

And whilst there are different types of leaders, the best ones are usually the ones who lead by example and that is something that Ronaldo has certainly been. When his side are up against it, it is he who takes it upon himself to turn the tide in his side’s favour. Judging by his goal record, more often than not, he has succeeded in doing so. That is clearly reflected in the fact that of the 96 La Liga games in which he has scored since his arrival at the club, his team has won on 90 occasions and haven’t lost even once.

His most memorable performance of the year arguably came in one of the toughest stadiums in the World. Galatasaray are renowned the world over for their passionate fans, who make it almost impossible for the players to hear one another when they play. It was in this cauldron, that Cristiano came out with his head held high, after scoring a hat-trick and finishing with an assist to absolutely demolish the Turkish side in their own back yard.

That was the game in which he showed that when the going gets tough, the tough certainly do get going. And when it comes to footballers, they don’t come tougher than Cristiano, a man who is built like an ox and runs like a stallion. He is someone, who, for all his God-given talent, has a temperament that is second to none and that is precisely what makes him one of the greatest players of not just this year, but, of all-time, as well.