Ronaldo receives the Golden Shoe

Real Madrid CF may have finished a disappointing third last season, but that would not stop Cristiano Ronaldo from topping the goalscoring charts in Spain and in Europe, his 31 goals only equalled by Liverpool’s Luis Suárez. 

Real Madrid’s number '7' thanked all of those who helped him win the prize for the third time in his career. "Firstly, my teammates, because without them winning the Golden Shoe would not have been possible. Secondly, my family, who are always by my side. Also to the fans and the club, for giving me the chance to play in the best club in the world and to win these trophies. The collective is the most important, but individual awards are always nice". 

Also, he showed his happiness as receiving the award. "It is a special day, I’m very happy, for me it is as if it were my first Golden Shoe. I see that everyday people love me more and more, and I try to pay them back on the pitch.” His speech finished with a message about his future: "I’ve got a lot of years left at Real Madrid".

Ronaldo hit that dizzying tally in just 30 matches, forced to miss eight games due to a series of muscular injuries. Among his litany of goals were barnstorming hat-tricks against Sevilla FC and Real Sociedad de Fútbol, a crucial last-gasp equaliser at Club Atlético de Madrid, and a sublime back heeled volley against Valencia CF, voted Goal of the Year in the 2014 LFP Awards.

The Portuguese’s blistering performances in the first half of the season lead to him winning the FIFA Ballon d’Or for 2013, and his blistering form in 2014 has made him one of the favourites to win the most prestigious individual prize in European football again this year.

Ronaldo also made history in European football, scoring a record 17 goals in Madrid’s triumphant UEFA Champions League campaign, capping the 4-1 win over local rivals Atlético Madrid in the Lisbon final by final slamming home a penalty in extra-time, celebrating by taking off his shirt to reveal his extraordinary physique. The only downside, in addition to missing out on the league title, was having to sit out the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona due to injury, but he was on the sidelines at the Mestalla to watch his side triumph against the old enemy thanks to Gareth Bale’s wonder goal.

However, beyond individual and team trophies, perhaps Ronaldo’s most remarkable achievement has been to make the extraordinary look ordinary, to make abnormal statistics look routine - he has followed last season’s incredible achievements by racking up even better numbers in 2014/15.

The 29-year-old has netted a logic-defying 17 league goals already this season, finding the net in all of the nine games he has played (he missed the 4-2 defeat to Real Sociedad with injury).

With each passing week, the Portuguese seems to break a new goalscoring record. His treble in the 5-0 drubbing of Athletic Club on 5 October saw him tie the late Alfredo di Stéfano and Telmo Zarra’s record of 22 La Liga hat-tricks. A fortnight later he bagged a brace in another 5-0 win, this time at Levante UD, breaking a record previously held by Real Oviedo striker Esteban Echevarría, who had scored 14 goals in eight games at the start of the 1943/44 season.

Yet in spite of these jaw-dropping record in front of goal, Ronaldo is also contributing more than ever to the team’s overall play, providing two assists in the 4-0 win over Granada CF last weekend. In addition to maintaining his lethal partnership with Bale and Karim Benzema, who between them notched 101 goals last season, Ronaldo has also dovetailed with new boys Toni Kroos and James Rodríguez.

It was little wonder then, why Carlo Ancelotti enjoys working with him so much. "Cristiano makes the coaches’ job so much easier", says the Italian coach.

"I’m very happy to be able to coach him, because he is a professional and very dedicated. He is the main man at Real Madrid, a phenomenon".