Cristiano Ronaldo - The gift that keeps on giving

'Tis the season of giving, and one man that just keeps on giving is Cristiano Ronaldo. Week in, week out he provides us with a great wealth of entertainment.

Whilst most players start to slow down when they approach the age of 30. Their legs become heavier, inspiration is more difficult to find and their overall contribution tends to come in sporadic bursts rather than consistently.

Cristiano Ronaldo however, is not most players.

After expending a seizable amount of energy in Real Madrid's drive toward La Decima, and then following that with a battle against persistent injury problems at the World Cup, it would have been no surprise if his levels dropped off this season. Instead, the quite opposite has happened. CR7 is is challenging a conventional wisdom about when a forward hits his peak. He will turn 30 years old in February, yet he is not declining. Like good wine gets better with age, Cristiano too is getting better.

His goal scoring record this season alone is astounding, scoring 32 goals in just 23 games. It's got to a stage where you're just lost with words on how to describe how good he actually is. It is remarkable to watch a footballer continue to improve this degree after not only winning countless accolades but also putting in enough miles for a lifetime, and it speaks volumes about Ronaldo's hunger. The benchmark continues to rise.

It's not just his goalscoring records that make him the perfect idol, but his professionalism is something every young player should be looking to emulate. Right back to his Manchester United days, he has always been known to be the first one to training and the last one to come off the training pitch. He is always looking to improve himself, to make himself even better. Previous top players after winning titles and personal accolades have dropped off, but the Portuguese continues to become a better footballer, and athlete,

Some believe that it is his rivalry with Lionel Messi that constantly gives him the desire and drive to become better each year. Football fans should be grateful for the rivalry between these two great players. They continue to motivate each other in a way, and we should savour every minute of their great rivalry.

It seems like so long ago that Ronaldo was just a winger with tricky feet and great dribbling skills. He has evolved from that player to become more like a No.9 that relies on his teammates to set up his goals. He has previously been known as selfish but in recent years he has certainly changed people's opinions on him.

Cristiano Ronaldo, of course won't be around forever, but whilst he's here, we should appreciate and savour the gift we have been given in his performances on the football pitch.