It's one of those nights that stays with you and always will. The hat trick that Cristiano Ronaldo scored at Solna's Friends Arena in November 2013, to sweep a jittery Portugal to the World Cup at Sweden's expense, was more than just a great performance. It was the fullest expression of sheer power and ironclad will that you can imagine. On that night, when Portugal came under pressure from a Zlatan Ibrahimovic-led home team, Ronaldo would not be denied.
Even those who wouldn't exactly describe themselves as fans doffed their caps. The Swedish supporters in the stadium, who spent much of the game booing Ronaldo's every touch and baiting him with chants of "Messi, Messi," applauded him.