New Delhi: Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo Thursday announced his retirement from international football, saying “Portugal will always be in me”. In his 23-year career, the 41-year-old evolved from a pace-driven winger into one of the most prolific goalscorers in football. Across that journey, he won five Ballon d’Or awards, each reflecting a different phase of his career.

Ronaldos won the first Ballon d’Or in 2008, when he was playing for Manchester United under Alex Ferguson. The 23-year-old was primarily a winger, known for his pace, dribbling, stepovers and ability to take on defenders. He scored 42 goals across all competitions during the 2007-08 season, helping Manchester United win the Premier League and Champions League.

“Ronaldo is a perfect example of someone who made himself. It’s easy for me to say, ‘yeah, I made Ronaldo.’ Many coaches might say I made this player, and I made that player, but Ronaldo made himself. We just gave him the tools and the platform to excel. His practise ethic was incredible,” Ferguson had said.

His next two awards came in 2013 and 2014, after his move to Real Madrid in 2009. By then, Ronaldo was transforming his game. While he retained his speed and ability to attack from wide positions, he started to operate closer to the penalty area, using his movement and finishing to become Real Madrid’s primary goalscoring threat.

From winger to goalscorer

In 2013, Ronaldo scored 69 goals in 59 matches for club and country. He also scored in Portugal’s World Cup qualifying play-off against Sweden, including a hat-trick in the second leg that secured the country’s place at the 2014 tournament in Brazil. 

In 2014, he won his third Ballon d’Or after scoring 61 goals in 60 appearances across all competitions for club and country. That year, Ronaldo also lifted the 10th Champions League for Real Madrid. He scored 17 goals in that campaign, a record for a single edition. Ronaldo scored in the final against Atlético Madrid, which Real Madrid won 4-1 after extra time. 

His fourth award, in 2016, came after another successful year with club and country. Ronaldo scored 42 goals for Real Madrid and 13 for Portugal during the calendar year. He won the Champions League with Real Madrid and captained Portugal to their first Euro title. Although he was forced off with an injury in the final against France, Portugal won 1-0 after extra time.

“There have been many players who have made history at this club. But nobody has done what he has — the statistics speak for that. What he has done is impressive. So I think yes (Ronaldo is the best in history),” then Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane had said.

By the time he collected his fifth Ballon d’Or in 2017, Ronaldo’s role at Real Madrid had become increasingly focused on finishing moves inside the penalty area. His performances in the Champions League knockout rounds were central to Madrid’s campaign. 

He scored 12 goals in the 2016-17 competition, including a hat-trick against Bayern Munich in the quarter-final and another against Atlético Madrid in the semi-final. Madrid went on to beat Juventus 4-1 in the final, becoming the first team to retain the Champions League title in its modern format. 

The five awards came across three different phases of his career: Manchester United’s attacking winger, Real Madrid’s wide forward and, then, a more central goalscorer. His five Ballon d’Or wins also placed him briefly alongside Lionel Messi in 2017.