When Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid from Manchester United in 2009, for what was then a world-record transfer fee of £80 million, little did he expect to win only one league title and one UEFA Champions League crown in his first six years. He had become used to winning many titles in England, clinching three Premier League trophies in a row in his last three years at United.
Ronaldo also won a Champions League title with the Red Devils in 2008. The following year, United reached the final again, only to lose to a Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona 2-0 in Rome. That was Ronaldo's last match with the English champions, as he moved to Real a few weeks later.
To play for Los Blancos had been his childhood dream – he had made no secret about it. There was a lot of excitement in the first season as Real had got the reigning FIFA World Player of Year, someone who could seemingly counter Messi and Barcelona.
Under Barca's shadow
That wasn't to be, however, as Barcelona played more like a team with the game revolving around Messi. Real looked like an assortment of high-profile players stuffed into a team with not much cohesion. In Ronaldo's first two years in the Spanish capital, he had to watch Barcelona thwart Real and win back-to-back La Liga titles – making it three in a row.
Barcelona also beat Real in a highly emotional and ill-tempered Champions League semi-final. Messi was the difference between the two sides in the first leg of that semi-final. Barcelona would go on to win the European title, beating United again in the final, with Messi starring once more.
Real Madrid only had the consolation of beating Barcelona in the final of the Spanish Cup that season, where Ronaldo scored the all-important goal – but it was a minor trophy compared to the other two.
Things looked better in Ronaldo's third season, as Jose Mourinho masterminded Real's first La Liga win in four years. Ronaldo also scored the crucial winner at Camp Nou to all but clinch the title from their fierce rival's grasp, but the team could not make it through to that season's Champions League final. His fourth season with Real went trophy-less.
A temporary high
Carlo Ancelotti's appointment as manager in the summer of 2013 saw an upturn in Ronaldo's and the club's fortunes. While Real finished third behind surprise winners Atletico Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga, they got the better of their domestic rivals in other competitions.
Madrid won the Spanish Cup, beating Barcelona in the final, and the Champions League, beating Atletico in the summit clash, to clinch a double. Ronaldo starred in that 2013-14 Champions League campaign, as he top-scored with 17 goals, including one in the final. He also won the FIFA Ballon d’Or award in 2013 and 2014.
However, his sixth season again ended in disappointment as Real didn't win either the La Liga or the Champions League, while Barcelona and Messi were again at the forefront. The 2015-16 Spanish League title and the Spanish Cup have again been won by Barcelona. All that remains for Real is the Champions League final on May 28 in Milan.
Local rivals in the way
Atletico stand in the way – a team who have often got the better of their Madrid rivals in the last few years. Atletico lost the final two years ago 4-1 after extra-time, so they will be highly motivated to get the job done this time around. There is no doubt that a win for them would be considered great, but a loss won't be seen as a total failure.
However, a loss for Real would be considered a total disaster. The club has won Europe's top club cup title a record 10 times, while Atletico have never won it yet.
Real haven't won as many titles as their El Clasico rivals Barcelona in the ten years since 2006. Barcelona have won four Champions League titles to Real's. The Catalan giants have also won eight La Liga trophies from 2005 onwards, while Los Blancos have clinched only three. Even among the players, Messi has generally edged Ronaldo. The Argentinean has won five FIFA World Player of the Year awards. Ronaldo has won two with Real and one with United.
Credibility at stake
Ronaldo has openly stated more than once that individual awards mean a lot to him and seeing Messi beat him on most occasions must not be easy. Even last season, when Ronaldo had his best tally of goals, Messi walked away with a treble and the top individual award.
This season Ronaldo has been largely out-scored by Luis Suarez, despite being the top-scorer in the Champions League. This is a crucial year as Portugal will be playing the European Championships. But their chances of winning are quite low despite having Ronaldo in their ranks.
Messi's Argentina and Suarez's Uruguay are also playing in the special edition of the Copa America. Both countries have good chances of winning. If Real lose the Champions League final and either Argentina or Uruguay win the Copa America, the 2016 FIFA Ballon d’Or award may well go to either Messi or Suarez. The Champions League final is Ronaldo's only chance to win the individual award he covets.
The Portuguese has reached three Champions League finals and won twice. He scored in the two finals that he ended up on the winning side, but in none of the matches did he put up a dominant or telling performance.
Real might win even if Ronaldo doesn't play well or score, but that will do little to his legend. He is considered one of the greatest players of all time, with a record not many can match. If Real lose against Atletico, Ronaldo would have won only one La Liga, one Champions League and two Spanish Cups in his first seven years in Spain.
For a player who is Real Madrid's greatest-ever goal-scorer, it is not a fabulous record. Winning a second Champions League will add a little more credibility to his time at Real. Delivering a match-winning performance in the final will enhance it even more.
