Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 13 Champions League semi-final goals in eight different ties across seven different campaigns.
He’s scored more goals in the competition than Atletico Madrid, the club as a whole, have.
In 2017, During his slaying of Real’s city rivals in the semi-final first leg, he hit his 50th, 51st, and 52nd Champions League knockout goal. He hit his 53rd and 54th in the final.
He’s scored times for Real Madrid and, still, somehow, incredibly and sickeningly, people have the audacity to suggest that he doesn’t score in big games or that his goals are handed to him. As if what he’s done over the last 13 years has just been pure, prolonged luck.
“Ronaldo isn't past it; he's just past the latest, now outdated model of himself,” writes @ConanDoherty https://t.co/WazpWmJHA1
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) April 19, 2017
The accusation that Ronaldo doesn’t do it in big games is absolutely bonkers. It’s an insult to one of the greatest of all time who has been doing it consistently since he was a teenager at United.
So we took a look back at all these so-called big games that Ronaldo didn’t do it in. We looked at the goals he scored alone – didn’t even bother to take assists or big performances into account, just goals. We even left out some big international games or Champions League knockout clashes that some would turn their noses up at because of the name of the opposition – so we could happily qualify a ‘big game’ in the eyes of the majority.
And, still, we make it that Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in 67 so-called big games and hit the winning penalty in another. That’s 68 times he has delivered with a goal in a big game.
68 times.
Here they are.
2004
FA Cup 5th round
Manchester United 4-2 Manchester City
1 goal
Ronaldo rattled in his second competitive goal for United in a city derby and a knockout cup clash with the side playing with 10 men for over 50 minutes thanks to Gary Neville’s red card.
FA Cup final
Manchester United 3-0 Millwall
1 goal
Wins his first major trophy at senior level and scores in the Millennium Stadium decider at 19.
Euro 2004 semi-final
Portugal 2-1 Holland
1 goal
Still 19, Ronaldo helps his country into the European Championships decider with a semi-final goal in his first major tournament.
World Cup qualifier
Portugal 7-1 Russia
2 goals
Pitted in a group with Russia and Slovakia, Portugal went into their first big test in October of 2004 but they destroyed the Russians.
2005
Premier League
Arsenal 2-4 Manchester United
2 goals
At the home of the champions, Ronaldo grabs a brace.
World Cup qualifier
Portugal 2-0 Slovakia
1 goal
Delivering again when it matters for his country.
2006
Premier League
Manchester United 3-1 Manchester City
1 goal
Another derby goal as Ronaldo began to inspire United’s three-in-a-row exploits.
2007
Champions League quarter-finals
Manchester United 7-1 Roma
2 goals
Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Ronaldo helped drive United into the last four with a complete dismantling of the Italians.
Champions League semi-finals
Manchester United 3-2 AC Milan
1 goal
Fergie’s men took the first leg in a thriller with Milan.
Premier League
Manchester City 0-1 Manchester United
1 goal
The game that eventually clinched United the title.
Premier League
Arsenal 2-2 Manchester United
1 goal
He was just beginning to turn into a scoring machine at this stage.
2008
Champions League 2nd round
Manchester United 1-0 Lyon
1 goal
Helps United through to the last eight.
Premier League
Manchester 3-0 Liverpool
1 goal
Any goal against the old enemy is a big goal.
Champions League quarter-finals
Roma 0-2 Manchester United
1 goal
Motoring now.
Champions League final
Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea
1 goal
Hang time, accuracy, pure neck-muscle power.
Euro 2008 group stage
Czech Republic 1-3 Portugal
1 goal
Scored and assisted to ensure Portugal’s qualification for the quarter-final.
2009
Champions League semi-finals
Arsenal 1-3 Manchester United
2 goals
Another final booked.
Premier League
Manchester United 2-0 Manchester City
1 goal
Loves scoring against City almost as much as he does scoring at Arsenal.
2010
Champions League group stage
Real Madrid 2-0 AC Milan
1 goal
Big games for Madrid are fewer and farther between but he still scored in plenty of them.
2011
La Liga
Real Madrid 1-1 Barcelona
1 goal
His first El Clasico goal. Scored in both Champions League quarter-final games against Spurs the week before too.
Copa del Rey final
Barcelona 0-1 Real Madrid
1 goal
Scores the winner to secure his second goal in four days against Barca and his first title as a Real Madrid player.
Spanish Super Cup
Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid
1 goal
Went down but another El Clasico goal.
La Liga
Real Madrid 4-1 Atletico Madrid
2 goals
Delivering in the derby again.
2012
Copa del Rey
Real Madrid 1-2 Barcelona
1 goal
First leg defeat but another strike.
La Liga
Atletico Madrid 1-4 Real Madrid
3 goals
Hat-trick against the city rivals.
La Liga
Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid
1 goal
Guiding Madrid to La Liga title with a 73rd minute winner.
Champions League semi-final
Real Madrid 2-1 Bayern Munich
2 goals
Forced extra time in a must-win game for Madrid.
Euro 2012 group stage
Portugal 2-1 Holland
2 goals
Another must-win game and sees Portugal through to the quarters.
Euro 2012 quarter-final
Portugal 1-0 Czech Republic
1 goal
Secures another semi-final spot.
Spanish Super Cup
Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid
1 goal
First leg defeat but a first leg goal that proves crucial.
Spanish Super Cup
Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona
1 goal
And again. And another title for Real.
Champions League group stage
Real Madrid 3-2 Manchester City
1 goal
90th minute winner as Madrid come from behind to beat the Premier League champions.
La Liga
Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid
2 goals
Two for Messi, two for Ronaldo.
La Liga
Real Madrid 2-0 Atletico Madrid
1 goal
A lot of big goals in 2012.
2013
Champions League 2nd round
Real Madrid 1-1 Manchester United
1 goal
An equalising goal against his old team.
Copa del Rey semi-finals
Barcelona 1-3 Real Madrid
2 goals
Another brace against the arch nemeses sees them into another final.
Champions League 2nd round
Manchester United 1-2 Real Madrid
1 goal
Scores the winner back at Old Trafford to put Madrid through.
Champions League semi-finals
Borussia Dortmund 4-1 Real Madrid
1 goal
After scoring three in the Champions League quarter-finals against Galatasaray, Ronaldo hit the only goal in Germany for Madrid.
Champions League group stage
Real Madrid 2-1 Juventus
2 goals
Two European giants separated by Ronaldo.
Champions League group stage
Juventus 2-2 Real Madrid
1 goal
Another big game, another goal.
World Cup playoffs
Portugal 1-0 Sweden
1 goal
Massive goal for his country.
World Cup playoffs
Sweden 2-3 Portugal
3 goals
Massive hat-trick for his country to secure a place in Brazil.
2014
La Liga
Atletico Madrid 2-2 Real Madrid
1 goal
82nd minute equaliser.
La Liga
Real Madrid 3-4 Barcelona
1 goal
El Clasico calls.
Champions League quarter-finals
Real Madrid 3-0 Borussia Dortmund
1 goal
On the way to La Decima.
Champions League semi-finals
Bayern Munich 0-4 Real Madrid
2 goals
Another final secured for Ronnie.
Champions League final
Real Madrid 4-1 Atletico Madrid
1 goal
First European title in 12 years for the club.
World Cup 2014 group stage
Portugal 2-1 Ghana
1 goal
80th minute winner that Portugal needed to stay in with a chance of qualification for the second round.
La Liga
Real Madrid 1-2 Atletico Madrid
1 goal
Loves a derby, he does.
La Liga
Real Madrid 3-1 Barcelona
1 goal
Loves an El Clasico, he does.
2015
Copa del Rey
Real Madrid 2-2 Atletico Madrid
1 goal
Big game, another goal.
La Liga
Barcelona 2-1 Real Madrid
1 goal
You’d think they’d know to mark him at this stage.
Champions League semi-finals
Juventus 2-1 Real Madrid
1 goal
Away goal for Madrid.
Champions League semi-finals
Real Madrid 1-1 Juventus
1 goal
Home goal for Madrid, but not enough.
2016
Champions League 2nd round
Roma 0-2 Real Madrid
1 goal
Second half strike opens the scoring and sets the tone for this tie.
Champions League 2nd round
Real Madrid 2-0 Roma
1 goal
Same again.
La Liga
Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid
1 goal
With 10 men and five minutes remaining, Ronaldo takes one on the chest and volleys home spectacularly to win the game.
Champions League quarter-finals
Real Madrid 3-0 Wolfsburg
3 goals
With Madrid trailing 2-0 from the first leg, Ronaldo single-handedly rescued their European campaign.
Champions League final
Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid
0 goals
But he did score the winning penalty.
Euro 2016 group stage
Hungary 3-3 Portugal
2 goals
After two draws in their opening group games, Portugal were on the verge of heading out of the tournament but Ronaldo twice dragged them from behind with two spectacular goals.
Euro 2016 semi-finals
Wales 0-2 Portugal
1 goal
Towering second half header to put his country on the way to the final.
La Liga
Atletico Madrid 0-3 Real Madrid
3 goals
Puts the best defence in Spain to the sword himself.
Club World Cup final
Real Madrid 4-2 Kashima Antlers
3 goals
Scored an equalising penalty to tie the game then hit two extra time goals to win the cup.
2017
Champions League quarter-finals
Bayern Munich 1-2 Real Madrid
2 goals
The start of an eight-goal streak across three legs to date.
Champions League quarter-finals
Real Madrid 4-2 Bayern Munich
3 goals
That was pretty special.
Champions League semi-finals
Real Madrid 3-0 Atletico Madrid
3 goals
Rips one of the tightest defences anywhere apart himself once more with a header, a volley, and a composed, close-range finish.
Champions League final
Real Madrid 4-1 Juventus
2 goals
Scores the first, scores the again. Confirms his fifth Ballon d’Or.
