Ranking Cristiano Ronaldo’s five most clutch goals for Portugal

1. 88th-minute equalizing free-kick vs Spain in the 2018 World Cup

Whenever I watch the highlights of this game, there is one particular saying that comes to my mind.

"“Heroes aren’t made. They are born.”"

This goal from Cristiano Ronaldo will make everyone, including his critics, realize that this man is a hero.

Imagine yourself in this situation, where you aren’t just leading a football team, but the hopes of a whole nation. You are playing in the World Cup of all, against an opposition that has been in unbeatable form for a while. You have scored two goals, but your opponents have outscored you and are about to close the game in a few minutes.

Players would be physically and mentally drained by the 88th minute, but not Cristiano Ronaldo. When the going gets tough, the tough get going, and so did CR7. He scored a fantabulous free-kick from a position that is more favored for a left-footer and gained a valuable point for his country. Instead of going for his usual knuckleball technique, he chose to curl the ball, and boy, it did work a miracle.

If there’s one word to define this moment, it is “unbelievable.” He had surprised the Spanish team, which had some of his Real Madrid teammates. He increased the decibel levels in Sochi and made fans like me go crazy, with a single goal. He made the rival fans stand and applaud his brilliance and determination and gained the respect of the whole footballing world.

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He did all this with one amazing goal. A goal that was scored in a situation where all hope was lost, but he rose to the occasion to save the day. Only a winner in the World Cup final can be more clutch than this.