Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his 37th birthday. Can he ever win the beloved Champions League again?

Cristiano Ronaldo is rightly called “Mr. Champions League”. He holds countless records in his favourite competition, but today, 5 February, he celebrates his 37th birthday and the question is: Can the Portuguese phenom ever win the Champions League again?

Ronaldo began his professional career at Sporting Lisbon, from where he was snapped up by Manchester United at the age of 18. There he became the best player in the world, won the Ballon d’Or, dominated the Champions League for the first time and left for his next challenge, Real Madrid.

In the Los Blancos jersey, he waited a long time to win the Eared Cup. In 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 he had to watch the finals of the most prestigious football competition in the world only on TV. But then Ronaldo found his way and from the next 5 years he lifted the trophy over his head four times.

This makes him the only footballer to have 5 Champions League trophies to his name. Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, Dani Carvajal, Isco, Marcelo, Sergio Ramos, Andrés Iniesta and Clarence Seedorf have four. Another six players have four titles but have only appeared in three final matches – Casemiro, Kroos, Messi, Piqué, Varane, Xavi.

In the 2013/14 season, the Portuguese shot Real Madrid to the Champions League title in a record never before surpassed. In fact, he netted 17 goals in a single edition of the millionaire competition. He also scored in the memorable final against Atlético Madrid in Lisbon, when Sergio Ramos equalised in the 93rd minute.

Speaking of records, let’s take a look at all the ones Ronaldo holds in the Champions League.

Most goals in the Champions League – 140
Most goals in a single Champions League season – 17 (2013/14)
Most goals in a Champions League knockout stage – 67
Most Champions League games – 181
Most Champions League final wins – 5
Single player, to score in 3 Champions League finals
Only player to score in 11 consecutive Champions League matches
Only player to score 10 goals against one club in the Champions League – Juventus

In 2015, Real Madrid crashed out to Juventus in the Champions League semi-finals, only for Zinedine Zidane to come on the bench the following season and write the club’s history in golden letters.

It is said that defending a title is even harder than winning it, which is why no team has ever done it in the Champions League. But then came Zidane’s Madrid, led by Ronaldo, and did it three times in a row. In 2016-2018, the trophy always went to the Spanish capital.

In 2016 Real beat Atlético Madrid in the final, Ronaldo netted 16 goals in the edition. In 2017, Los Blancos took on Juventus, the Portuguese helped with 12 goals. In completing the golden hat-trick, Real overcame Liverpool, Ronaldo netted 15 goals.

But after that, he left for Juventus and never looked back, even in the Champions League semi-finals. In his first season, he did turn the game around from 0-2 to 3-2 against Atlético Madrid with a heroic hat-trick in the eighth-final, but was subsequently knocked out by Ajax. A year later, the Old Lady fell to Olympique Lyon in the eighth round, and last season they were knocked out in the eighth round by Porto.

So Ronaldo left for Manchester United and once again showed his magic in the Champions League. He scored six times in five appearances. He scored in the first game against Young Boys Bern, then against Villarreal he scored in the 95th minute to win 2-1.

Then United were 0:2 down at home to Atalanta, Ronaldo scored the winning goal to make it 3:2 in the 81st minute. In the return leg at Atalanta, the Portuguese equalised in the 45th minute to make it 1-1, the home side went back in front. But in the 91st minute, the Portuguese phenomenon reappeared and equalised at 2:2. At Villarreal, the score was 0:0 for a long time when Ronaldo reappeared 10 minutes before the end and scored a goal to make it 1:0.

Ronaldo scored six of Manchester’s 11 goals. He scored three winning goals, one equalizer. Without him, the Red Devils might not have continued in the competition. Rangnick’s team will face Atlético Madrid in the eighth round, a team Ronaldo can take on.

So success is not out of the question, but the United team certainly does not have the quality of Real Madrid, PSG, Manchester City or Bayern Munich to think about the title. It’s just that in the knockout stages it’s often not about quality, but about mentality and will. And who else should have it but the most successful footballer in this competition ever?

If Manchester United fail to make it through to the next edition of the Champions League, Ronaldo would probably choose another destination. But which one would it be? Last Dance at Real Madrid? A meeting of the stars at PSG? A return to Sporting Lisbon?

One thing is certain. As long as Ronaldo plays, he’ll always be in with a chance of winning the Champions League. His beloved competition is always the most important thing for him.

Source: UEFA, Livesport