Watch: On This Day Cristiano Ronaldo Nets Spectacular Overhead Kick To Down Juventus

Today marks two years since Cristiano Ronaldo ended Juventus’ hopes of winning the Champions League, as he helped Real Madrid to a 3-0 victory over the Old Lady.

A Ronaldo inspired Los Blancos guided the Spanish giants past the Turin-based club in the first leg of their quarter-final back in 2018, netting a brace at the Allianz Stadium.

It took the then 33-year-old just two minutes and 47 seconds to open the scoring, after poking home Isco’s low cross from six yards.

But it was his second which got fans talking and remains to this day as one of the best goals in the Champions League of all time.

The Old Lady continued to apply pressure throughout until Dani Carvajal’s pinpoint cross into the box fell to Ronaldo whose incredible piece of improvisation could only result in the Juve players falling to the floor.

When his overhead kick flew past a flatfooted Buffon, the Juve players could only watch their future teammate produce something so sublime. Interestingly, the home supporters stood and applauded Ronaldo having realised they had just observed one of the most famous goals in European soccer history.

The forward and the Galacticos would go on to lift their third consecutive Champions League together before Ronaldo departed for Turin at the end of the 2017-18 season.

Having touched the ball a staggering 49 times in 90 minutes, the Portuguese star took his goal tally to nine Champions League goals against Juventus, and to this date, no player has scored more against the Old Lady in Europe’s elite competition, than the man himself. Ronaldo has nine against Bayern Munich and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi also has nine against Arsenal.

His overhead kick that night meant it was the first time Juve conceded three goals at home since the 1999 semi-final 3-2 defeat to Manchester United. It was also Real Madrid’s first win away against the Old Lady since February 1962, ending a run of seven without a win. This meant it was Juve’s first loss at home in a European competition since that loss in 1962, ending a run of 61 games.

The Portuguese signed for Juve in an Italian-record deal worth €112m that summer, and he admitted at his official unveiling the fans’ applause for that spectacular overhead had played a role in his transfer.

“I don’t remember what happened in the following days but I was very happy. It wasn’t just for having won, or for scoring such a great goal, the one detail that made the difference was the reaction of the fans who applauded me”, Ronaldo previously said.

“It was a surprise even for me, I didn’t expect it. I’d always liked this club, but even more so after that moment. It’s not that the goal changed things, Juventus is a great club and gave me the chance to come here at this unique moment in my life, and I don’t think it was because of that goal. Certainly, though the small details make a difference.”

To this date, the now 35-year-old claims the overhead kick was the best of his career, having netted over 700 goals for club and country to date.