Cristiano Ronaldo: What a Euro Crown Would Mean for Portugal Star's Legacy

Despite being the polarizing figure he is, Cristiano Ronaldo is well on his way to becoming one of the greatest to play the beautiful game.

When one thinks of football's brightest stars, their achievements on the international level often take precedence over what they've done for their clubs.

This is where Ronaldo lacks footing.

He's done more than his fair share at the club level, rounding up hardware galore at Manchester United and Real Madrid.

It's a different story when representing Portugal.

Portugal fell short in the Euro 2004 final to Greece, a tournament filled with shocking surprises. They fell short of earning a medal in World Cup 2006, finishing fourth. They were a quarterfinalist in Euro 2008, and they were eliminated in the knockout stage of World Cup 2010.

With the semifinal in Euro 2012 against the winner of Spain vs. France looming, Ronaldo and the Portuguese side are once again close to achieving success on the international stage.

Of all the accolades Ronaldo has received throughout his career, winning at Euro 2012 would probably be among his most significant. A Euro crown would bring him a step closer to be mentioned in the same breath as players like Pele or Beckenbauer, who have accomplished a great deal for their respective nations.

It's also no secret that through much of his career, Ronaldo has drawn comparison every step of the way to Lionel Messi.

Winning the Euro crown may give Ronaldo supporters another arguing point in the ongoing debate of who the world's top footballer is, as Messi hasn't done much past the Olympic gold he won with Argentina in 2008. With Argentina's loss last year in Copa America, the time is now for Ronaldo to swing the favor in his side, if only for a little while.

Winning the next two matches might be the two most important wins he could earn up to this point in his career.