Cristiano Ronaldo's Top 25 Moments for Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo's stellar performance and hat-trick against Sweden, ensuring Portugal's qualification for the World Cup next summer, has had the 28-year-old on the front and back of most newspapers this week.

Not that we expected anything less from Real Madrid's No. 7.

The things Ronaldo does with his right foot—and his left, and his head etc—have arguably become taken for granted, given the frequency of supremacy produced.

Here, B/R take a look at his 25 finest moments in the white of Madrid.

25-21

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

25. Hat-trick and free kick vs. Real Sociedad (November 2013)

Ronaldo continued his ridiculous start to the 2013/14 campaign, not least his epic goal return in the calendar year, with his 23rd hat trick—including a free kick—in Real Madrid's recent 5-1 hammering of Real Sociedad in La Liga.

24. Brace vs. Bayern Munich (April 2012)

A brace against Bayern Munich at the Bernabeu in 2012 hauled Real Madrid back into this Champions League semifinal tie, only for Jose Mourinho's side to crash out on penalties.

23. Brace vs. Galatasaray (March 2013)

Having steam-rolled Galatasaray in the home leg, Real Madrid started to wobble when the Turkish side threatened a comeback, led by Didier Drogba, in the return match. Luckily, as ever, Ronaldo was there to weather the storm.

22. Commander salute vs. Sevilla (October 2013)

Sepp Blatter made some comments which upset Cristiano Ronaldo, referencing a commander, via ESPN. Ronaldo answered him on Twitter first, then on the pitch where he scored a treble and celebrated the first with an ironic salute.

21. Champions League debut (September 2009)

The Portuguese star's Champions League debut was away to FC Zurich. In a 5-2 win he contributed two goals, one of which was a free kick; it was a sign of things to come.

20-16

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

20. Free kick No. 1 vs. Villarreal (May 2011)

In a 3-1 win away at El Madrigal, Cristiano Ronaldo scored this free kick.

19. Free kick No. 2 vs. Villarreal (May 2011)

Then he followed it up with another.

18. Golazo vs. Osasuna (March 2012)

But neither were perhaps as good as this golazo in a 5-1 win in Pamplona against Osasuna en route to the La Liga title.

17. Back heel vs. Rayo Vallecano (February 2012)

Rayo Vallecano is not always the easiest of places for La Liga sides to travel to, but this back-heel from Ronaldo ensured Los Blancos left with the three points.

16. Header vs. Manchester United (February 2013)

Manchester United drawing Real Madrid presented an emotional occasion for Cristiano Ronaldo, who played for the Red Devils before moving to Spain. His professionalism was evident though when he scored this header with NBA air time at the Bernabeu.

15-11

Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

15. Debut goal vs. Deportivo de la Coruna (August 2009)

After all the fuss which had waged on for nearly two years surrounding Ronaldo's transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid, he got down to business immediately in Spain with a goal on his debut.

14. Free kick and assist vs. Atletico Madrid (December 2012)

Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid were already threatening the duopoly this time last year, however, Cristiano Ronaldo's free kick and an assist laid on for Mesut Ozil silenced Los Blancos' noisy neighbours on this occasion.

13. Hat-trick vs. Ajax in Champions League (October 2012)

To date Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 26 career hat-tricks—23 for Real Madrid, one for Manchester United and two for Portugal. This was his first in the Champions League for Los Blancos.

12. Four vs. Racing Santander (October 2010)

Ronaldo scores so may trebles, that the ones he's bagged for Madrid would almost fill a list of 25 on their own. However four goals don't come around so often, making this performance against Racing Santander stand out.

11. Four vs. Sevilla (May 2011)

Cristiano Ronaldo has made a habit of scoring against Sevilla in the Madrid white. Most memorable was his four goal haul against them at the end of the 2010/11 season—he's scored 15 times in eight league matches against the Andalusian side as of November 2013.

10. Messi 2-2 Ronaldo at Camp Nou (October 2012)

When Barcelona welcomed Real Madrid into their home in October 2012, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were far ahead of the rest of the world's elite.

Both players proved why in this Clasico encounter on October 7, 2012.

Ronaldo scored the first and last goal, setting a new record for scoring in consecutive El Clasicos, while Messi scored two as well in a 2-2 draw.

9. On the Score Sheet When Madrid Won the League (May 2012)

Jose Mourinho's Madrid eventually took the title from Pepe Guardiola's Barca in the 2011/12 season.

It was a 3-0 win at Athletic Bilbao's San Mames which sealed the La Liga championship, with Ronaldo, of course, among the scorers.

This wasn't the Portuguese's crowning moment in Los Blancos’ season though—that had already occurred earlier on.

8. First Hat-Trick Against Mallorca (May 2010)

Everyone has to start somewhere.

Ronaldo started his hat-trick laden run for Real Madrid against Mallorca away in Palma—he's since gone on to score over 20 more for Madrid.

The only surprise is, perhaps, that it took him until the end of his first season in La Liga to record his first treble.

7. Supercopa Success (August 2012)

Following their La Liga title, Mourinho's men went on to clinch the Supercopa too.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored in both legs as Real Madrid triumphed over Barcelona on away goals after the tie ended 5-5 on aggregate.

6. Treble Against Atletico Madrid (April 2012)

With Real Madrid in pole position for the title, who else but Atletico Madrid would have dreamed of putting a spanner in the works?

Fortunately for Real, Ronaldo wouldn't have any of that.

He scored this stunning hat-trick against Los Blancos' neighbours to keep his side on track for his first La Liga championship since arriving in Spain.

5. Signing for Real Madrid (Summer 2009)

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

It could have happened the year before, or maybe even the year before that, but in the summer of 2009 Real Madrid eventually got their hands on Cristiano Ronaldo, paying £80 million to Manchester United.

Rory Smith in The Daily Telegraph described his unveiling at a packed Bernabeu as "part coronation, part Papal Mass, with a dash of rock concert thrown in."

In the same article: "This is my new home," Ronaldo grinned as he met the press for the first time following his dream move.

4. European Golden Shoe and Pichichi (2010/11)

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

After winning the Golden Shoe—the trophy for Europe's top goalscorer—with Manchester United in 2007/08, Ronaldo went on to win it again, with Real Madrid at the end of the 2010/11 season.

His 40 goals beat Lionel Messi to the award, although the Argentine, who won it the season previously, has gone on to win it on each of the following two occasions.

It also meant, naturally, that Ronaldo clinched Spain's Pichichi trophy.

3. Copa Del Rey Semi-Final at Camp Nou (February 2013)

Another big clash at Camp Nou, another crowning Cristiano Ronaldo performance.

This time it was in the Copa del Rey semi-final, with Madrid travelling to Catalonia following a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu a month previously.

Ronaldo scored a goal in each half—one from the penalty spot—as Madrid exerted their authority over Barcelona, despite La Blaugrana's huge lead at the league's summit.

2. Copa Del Rey Winner in Extra Time (April 2011)

Even the arrival of Jose Mourinho had failed to provide instantly favourable results on Madrid’s side of the El Clasico divide.

However, by April 2011 in the Portuguese coach's first season in charge, Real Madrid had managed to steal a march on Barcelona—even if it was just a small one.

And the man to help them steal it?

Cristiano Ronaldo.

Madrid's No. 7 scored an extra-time header as Los Blancos overcame Barca 1-0 in the Copa del Rey final, only for Sergio Ramos to drop the trophy on the parade through Madrid.

1. Calma, Calma. Estoy Aqui (April 2012)

Ronaldo's had many memorable moments as a Real Madrid player, but none stand out as much as his goal and celebration at Camp Nou as Los Blancos chased the La Liga title in 2012.

Barcelona had just equalised in the second half through Alexis Sanchez, when the Portuguese forward was sent clean through.

Knocking the ball to the right of Victor Valdes, he sent the ball into the back of the net and with it went Barcelona's title hopes.

Make no mistake; this was the crowning goal of Madrid's title.

"Calma, calma que estoy aqui," he told Camp Nou—"Calm down, I am here."