Cristiano Ronaldo has only gone on to set himself further apart from the rest after helping Real Madrid to win the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup in Japan.
The Portuguese forward scored a hattrick to propel the Spanish giants from a goal down to overcome Japanese club Kashima Antlers 4-2 after extra time.
The hattrick was Ronaldo’s 40th for the Spanish club and made him only the second player to score one in the final of a Club World Cup or Intercontinental Cup since Pele in 1962.
Ronaldo was also named Player of the Tournament after his heroics in the final, with teammate Luka Modric handed the Silver Ball while Kashima Antlers’ Gaku Shibasaki went home with the Bronze ball.
It was Shibasaki that had the Japanese side on course for a shock result with his two goals either side of half time cancelling out Karim Benzema‘s ninth minute opener for Real Madrid.
But Ronaldo equalised right on the hour mark, before adding two more in the 97th and 104th minute to complete his hattrick and win the trophy for Real.
Winning the Club World Cup crowns a spectacular week for Ronaldo, who won the 2016 Ballon d’Or award on Monday, December 12.
He followed that with his 500th goal for Real Madrid in the win over America in the Club World Cup semi-final on Thursday, December 15.
Ronaldo’s week sums a surreal 2016 for the 31-year-old which has seen him also win the UEFA Champions League with Real in May as well as the European Championship with Portugal in July.
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