The Ten Greatest Goals of Cristiano Ronaldo's Career

Remember when that seemingly-cocky Portuguese teenager signed for Manchester United in 2003?

Who would've thought that he'd become the most electrifying player the world has seen since his own namesake?

Cristiano Ronaldo has been wowing us ever since, and even more in the last few weeks.

This article is a tribute to the magic he has managed since he was signed. Do enjoy it, and remember, viva Ronaldo!

Honorable Mention: Disallowed Goal Against Spain

This would have been No. 1 or No. 2 very easily if it had been counted as a goal. Indeed, I'm quite sure it should have been. By the time Nani's head connected with the ball, it was already past the line.

The ruthless hitman was denied a career-defining moment, a sumptuous strike against the best team in the world.

Alas, it was not counted, and all we can do is marvel at what could have been.

10. Finishing an Incredible Counter-Attack Against Ajax

The commentator says it all: pure gold!

The finish seems quite ordinary, but just look at the build-up. Real Madrid laughs at Barcelona's tiki-taka. Who needs to take 35 touches to score a goal, most of them in your own half, when you can move the ball over 100 yards in less than five seconds with just seven passes?

Ronaldo is both the initiator and the finisher here, providing Kaka with the opportunity to send it out wide to Benzema and then thumping it home from close range.

Forget tiki-taka, I think the Blitzkrieg works just fine.

9. An Even Quicker Counter Attack Against Arsenal

United fans will remember this forever, and, as an Arsenal fan, so will I.

Rooney and Ronaldo give us a taste of what could have been, had United accepted Rooney's transfer request in 2010 and sent him off to Real Madrid.

United as a team put together just three passes to get the ball from their own box to Arsenal's. Ronaldo, again, made the initial lay off to Park Ji-Sung, giving him acres of space to push it forward. Park played it wide to Rooney, who then blasted the ball across the box to the Portuguese, who had run about 100 yards in barely eight seconds, providing a sumptuous finish into the top of the net.

Rooney, you really denied the world a chance at something special by staying at United.

8. Free Kick Against Villareal

I'm surprised it took until now to include a free kick. Don't worry, the list is ripe with them. This is, after all, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Just look at the motion of his kick. It's just so very smooth. The keeper thought it was going wide, and then when it started to dip, he could only try to throw himself in its path futilely.

Sometimes it's just not fair.

7. Free Kick Against Sunderland

Cristiano Ronaldo is so deceptive that he sometimes seems like a master spy.

Even when I first saw the goal, I assumed it would be a rocket free kick to the top right corner when I saw him lining it up.

Yet, somehow, it bends almost like it was going over the hump of a camel, and ends up in the top left corner. I'm speechless.

6. Free Kick in the Recent Madrid Derby

And they say that the man can't rouse himself for big matches.

A Madrid derby, with Barcelona literally nipping at Real's heels in the league table, and CR9 goes and does something like this!

He was at least 30 yards out, maybe more. It seems like he's going to just blast it, and the ball goes up, up, up... And then it goes down, down, down... The keeper did not even move; the ball literally drifted into the bottom right corner.

This is not the last time this match will feature on this list, by the way.

5. Free Kick Against Portsmouth

Normally you'd get tired of free kick after free kick, but not with Cristiano Ronaldo.

The ones preceding this have been devious, dipping shots. This one is the definition of a rocket. The commentator even predicted that Ronaldo would try for the top corner, so I'm pretty sure that the keeper had an idea about that as well.

Yet, when he lines up, it seems that he has put so much force into it that the ball is literally moving as if it's been fired from history's largest sling-shot. The poor keeper never had a chance; he just couldn't move fast enough to stop himself from becoming an accident in human history.

4. A Shocking Screamer Against Osasuna from 40 Yards out

I'm running out of superlatives here.

Ronaldo was closer to the halfway line than the goal when he unleashed this shot.

He points to his leg after scoring, and he certainly has a point. There's magic in that.

3. Free Kick Against Arsenal to Seal United's CL Final Berth

Let's just say the commentator must have felt very foolish when he said that it was "too far out for Ronaldo to think about it."

This was undoubtedly the greatest free kick in a career full of sensational free kicks, not just because of the distance but also because of the occasion, quality of the opposition, and sheer disbelief that he actually managed something like that.

Yet I can't rank it No. 1, and after the next two slides you will see why.

2. Dipping Shot in the Madrid Derby from the Edge of the Box

Maybe it's not as far out as some of his other goals, but in this one Ronaldo incorporates something else: angle.

When he shoots, he's practically on the shorter edge of the box, meaning he's facing more toward the side netting than toward the face of the goal.

It's no problem for Cristiano Ronaldo, of course. When he shoots, he aims for the very farthest part of the goal from him. His margin for error was so low that if even a gust of wind had hit the ball, it would probably have veered off course and missed.

Yet, true to form, the ball nestles its way nicely into the top right corner, sealing the three points for Madrid.

1. The Definition of a Screamer, Against Porto

40 yards out? Check.

Making history as the first English team to ever win against Porto at home? Check.

Slamming it into the top left corner with his right foot? Check.

Winning the Puskas Goal of the Year award? Check.

Sealing his place as one of the eight greatest players in Manchester United history? Check.

Well, looks like this goal has fulfilled all points needed on the "greatest goal of a career" check-list. I can't really say any more to do justice to the moment, except: All Hail El Nuevo Fenomeno.