By any standard it’s been a banner year for Cristiano Ronaldo with Real Madrid. Even the disappointment of finishing third in La Liga mattered little when the Champions League was won, and Los Blancos landed the famed Decima.
Ronaldo scored in the final, one of 53 club goals to date in 2014. And yet there is still a question hanging over Europe’s leading scorer. The goal in the Champions League final was the fourth of a 4-1 win over Atletico Madrid and the Spanish title winners were an exhausted husk by the time Ronaldo converted from 12 yards. It didn’t stop him celebrating as if he had scored the winning goal, though, ripping off his shirt and basking in the world’s adulation.
In fact it was Sergio Ramos who scored the crucial last-minute equaliser, Gareth Bale who netted the vital goal that put Madrid in front, and Marcelo who wrapped up the victory. Ronaldo’s spot kick was the cherry on the icing on the cake, ultimately meaningless to the match but clearly anything but to the man himself. It was a goal in a final but not the goal of the final, the showpiece largely passing Ronaldo by until he eventually grabbed his share of the glory and took centre stage.
It’s hard to be too critical of Ronaldo. He has after all scored 32 goals in 24 games this season but didn’t net in the Club World Cup semi-final against Cruz Azul. It wasn’t for a lack of trying, particularly as when Madrid went a few goals clear against the Mexicans it appeared the team were doing everything in their power to give the No.7 a goal. It never came. Carlo Ancelotti joked after the match that Ronaldo must be saving a goal for the final and maybe he’ll score on Saturday.
If he does and it’s the opener or the match-winner then one of the last remaining doubts about Ronaldo will be answered. The Club World Cup lacks the difficulty, prestige or the importance of the Champions League – except to Madrid, where every trophy matters and as they’ve not won this one since 2002, it has a particular significance. Ronaldo missed out on being the man who delivered La Decima but bringing home the Club World Cup would be an achievement of note – and prove Ronaldo isn’t only in the goals for his own gratification.
