Regardless of whether you’re team Messi or team Ronaldo, there is absolutely no denying they are both two unbelievable talents. Though this season, Ronaldo has outshone his number one rival. Madrid pipped Barca to the league title and showed them how it was done in the Champions League. And of course who was central to that…who other than Ronaldo?

The Portuguese star boasts 25 leagues goals and a further six assists in 29 appearances this season meaning he has been directly involved in 31 of Madrid’s 106 goals. That equates to almost 30% and without Ronaldo’s influence, Zinedine Zidane’s men would be 23 points worse off. This would put them in fifth place on 70 points. And whilst Messi may hold a haul of 37 league goals with nine assists, Ronaldo scored the most important goal of all as Madrid saw off Malaga at the weekend.

Admittedly, Madrid only needed a point to win the title but Malaga is a tough place to go and they are notorious for giving the biggest sides of La Liga a torrid time at La Rosaleda Stadium. Just two minutes into the game, Ronaldo helped to calm any nerves and pretty much keep the game at bay by latching onto Isco’s through ball and taking it round Carlos Kameni and slot it into an empty net. His 15th in 15 league games against Malga.

It also means he is the second player to score more than 25 goals in a season for the eighth year in a row, joining only Messi with that mightily impressive record. Not just a great day for the club but another personal milestone for the 32-year-old. And it’s not just the league in which Ronaldo has proved crucial in, six of Madrid’s Champions League victories have been as a direct result of his impact.

The former United man boasts ten goals and five assists in his 12 European appearances this season and with the final still to play, we may just see him add to that tally and add a fourth Champions League to his name.

Bettors can get Portugal at 25/1 to win the 2018 World Cup, and get the Betfred free bet. They currently reside in second place in Group B with four wins and a defeat, behind an impeccable Switzerland who are yet to drop a point. Ronaldo has made four appearances for his country during qualifiers for next year’s tournament and has scored a remarkable nine goals in that time.

Without him, it’s fair say Portugal would be down and out and if they are to victorious, much like with their Euro 2016 triumph, Ronaldo will be in the mix of it all. And due to his heroics for both club and country, he has rightly staked his claim as favourite for the Ballon d’Or.