UEFA Champions League, European Trophy, UEFA Super Cup And Club World Cup; Who Can Match Christiano Ronaldo’s 2016 Calendar Year Record?

“I have nothing but praise for the boy (Christiano Ronaldo). He is easily the best player in the world. His contribution as a goal threat is unbelievable. His stats are incredible, strikes at goal, attempts on goal, raids into the penalty box or headers. It is all there,” were the words of then Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson in the summer of 2009 after United sold the attacker for a then world record €94 million to Real Madrid. Fast forward to 2016 (seven years on) and Ronaldo is considered by some as the all time best Real Madrid player after scoring 270 goals in 247 La Liga league games for the club making him the club’s all time top scorer ahead of greats like Hugo Sanchez, Emilio Butragueno, Ferenc Puskas and Alfredo Di Stefano.
On Monday, Ronaldo broke yet another record becoming the second player after Pele to score a hat-trick in a FIFA Club World Cup final as Zinedine Zidane’s side beat Japanese side Kashima 4-2 in extra time. Ronaldo this calendar year (2016) has scored 31 league goals in which is the same with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi but three behind Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic and four adrift of Messi’s attacking club team mate Luis Suarez.
This calendar year in total, the forward has scored 55 goals in 57 games for both club and country providing 17 assists as well as winning four major trophies with both club and country (UEFA Super Cup, UEFA Champions League, European Cup as well as the Club World Cup last night). In recognition of his buccaneering form, the Portuguese was awarded the 2016 Ballon d’Or last week making him the only European player to have won it four times in total.
To illustrate further, the forward has scored 10 goals in the Spanish La Liga this season (two behind Barcelona’s Lionel Messi) as well as scoring 18 goals in the last 16 games for both club and country not forgetting he is already advanced at 31 (32 in March) which isn’t ideal for players of his age to be performing at such level despite the decline in pace and stamina which are more than vital in football.
The Portueguese is also a four times winner of the European Golden Shoe award as well as being the only player in Europe to score 50 goals a season in all completions for more than six consecutive seasons.
Having added the Club Workd Cup to his galleria, it is befitting to say that 2016 rightly belongs to Portugal and Real Madrid’s Christiano Ronaldo who has been the best player by miles in the calendar year considering his impeccable records in the calendar year although FIFA is yet to announce it’s World Best Player.