Top 10 most memorable Cristiano Ronaldo performances of the decade

Modified Dec 27, 2019 21:11 GMT

#8 2015-16 UEFA Champions League Group-Stage: Real Madrid 8-0 Malmo

Real Madrid registered their biggest win in the Champions League as hat-tricks from Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema condemned Malmo to a humbling 0-8 reverse in a group-stage game of the 2015-16 edition of the competition.

Following a brace from Benzema, Ronaldo scored his first of the game with a direct free-kick before scoring thrice in a 12-minute period in the second half to register his first quadruple in the Champions League.

It marked only the 14th instance of a player scoring more than three goals in a Champions League game. Ronaldo also became the first player to register 11 group-stage goals in a season.

#9 2018 FIFA World Cup: Portugal 3-3 Spain

In an enterprising group-game at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Ronaldo scored from the spot to give Portugal a fourth-minute lead against Spain in Sochi. After Diego Costa restored parity for the 2010 champions, Ronaldo gave Portugal the lead again in the 44th minute; the 2016 Euro winners led 2-1 at half-time.

Costa pegged Portugal back for the second time in the match, 10 minutes into the second half, and Nacho scored three minutes later as Spain led for the first time in the game. But Ronaldo and Portugal had other ideas.

A superb free-kick by Ronaldo two minutes from time helped restore parity for Portugal as the prolific marksman registered his first hat-trick at the FIFA World Cup.

#10 2018-19 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg: Juventus 3-0 Atletico Madrid

Trailing 0-2 from the first leg of their Round of 16 clash with Atletico Madrid in the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League, Juventus needed to look no further than their 34-year old Portuguese marksman for inspiration.

Two headers either side of the half-time break tripled his Champions League goal-tally for his new club as Juventus restored parity for the first time in the tie. The Portugal captain then entered Bianconeri folklore by converting from the spot eight minutes from time to give an aggregate lead which Juventus defended manfully en route to registering a 3-2 aggregate win.

In the process, Ronaldo equaled Lionel Messi's record of 8 Champions League hat-tricks and also became the oldest player to net a hat-trick in the competition.