The Portuguese is playing the tournament for the fourth time and on Friday he produced a display to match his finest moments in an astonishing career
Cristiano Ronaldo has had to wait a long time for a night like this. The Real Madrid forward is a man for the big occasion, yet for all his memorable performances in the Champions League, La Liga, the Premier League and even the European Championship, he was missing a special soirée at a World Cup.
Despite all his brilliance for club and country over the years, it had looked at one stage that such a moment might elude him.