When it comes to deciding the best season for Cristiano Ronaldo, the reviewer is spoilt for choice, with so many to choose from.

However, given that he has won the Ballon d’Or five times, awarded to be the best player on the planet for the last 12 months, that seems a reliable benchmark, and selection from which to choose.

2015 – 2016 season Real Madrid (and Portugal)

Having seen his great rival Lionel Messi claim the award the previous year, Ronaldo reclaimed it in 2016.

That was the year that Real won the Champions League for an 11th time, yet again beating Atlético in the final, this time via a penalty shoot-out.

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The club also won the Club World Cup again.

In terms of individual performances, Ronaldo managed 51 goals from 48 starts that season.

However, whilst this may lay claim to be his best ever season is what he achieved internationally with Portugal. They reached the finals of the European Championships against the hosts France, with Ronaldo having equalled the record of Michel Platini as all-time top scorer in Euro finals.

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Although he was forced off after just 25 minutes in the final against France, he spent the rest of the match coaching the side from the touchline, as Portugal won their first major international trophy, and he, as captain, got to lift the trophy.

2013 – 2014 season Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or for a second successive year, and the third time in all in 2014, during which time he scored 51 goals in all competitions from 47 games.

Real won the Spanish Cup that year, the Champions League, and the Club World Cup.

He scored the fourth goal from the penalty spot, as Real beat neighbours Atlético Madrid in extra time to win the Champions League final in Lisbon.

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2007 – 2008 season Manchester United

Ronaldo first won the prestigious award in 2008, when he was still a Manchester United player. During the 2007 – 2008 season with them, he had scored 42 goals in 49 games for them, his most productive spell in English football.

That year they also won the Premier League and the Champions league, Ronaldo himself scoring as they beat Chelsea in the final in Moscow.

2016 – 2017 season Real Madrid

Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or for the fifth and last time in 2017.

That was the season that Real won their third Champions League title in four years, and they added to that the league title, the Spanish Super Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup.

The individual contribution of the Portuguese forward was 42 goals in 46 games.

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2012 – 2013 season Real Madrid

By the time that Ronaldo won the award for the second time, he was a Real Madrid player, having joined them for what was then a world record fee.

During the 2012 – 2013 season, he made 55 appearances for them, averaging exactly a goal a game.

Surprisingly, perhaps, that was a relatively barren year for the Spanish club, and all they had to show for it was the Spanish Super Cup