This Could Well Be The World Cup Of Cristiano Ronaldo

As days go, the last two have been pretty perfect for one Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal.

The forward managed to stick a massive two fingers up at Spain, who have clearly never heard the expression 'Don't poke the bear', given their government felt it was a good idea to announce they've fined Ronaldo £16.4 million and handed him a two-year suspended prison sentence – on the day their national side met, yep, Ronaldo's Portugal.

A hat-trick in that game swiftly followed, with 'Penaldo' living up to his nickname and also managing to score a free-kick in a major tournament – the 45th attempt he's had, and only the first one he's netted in a European Championships or a World Cup, and the GOAT (or so he thinks at least) made his mark on the 2018 World Cup with gusto.

Sticking it to the Spanish authorities, the Barcelona players and fans and indeed the Real Madrid ones, who he's never sure have fully appreciated him quite as much as they should have must have been an exhilarating feeling.

Ronaldo had never quite done the business at a World Cup, and at 33-years-old, people had wondered if it would be his last roll of the dice, although Ronaldo himself will certainly fancy his chances come 2022, but finally, he made the tournament his own in the opening game.

There are of course plenty more games to go, but this seems to be the first time in recent memory Ronaldo has come to an international tournament fully fit and ready to go. During the Euros, he was carrying a knock and looked shattered, in World Cups gone by, he's never been quite at the races, and only had 3 goals in 13 World Cup matches before the Spain game.

Of course, roll on 24 hours, and he's doubled that tally, and has 6 goals in 14 games – that's one more goal than Lionel Messi, who has 5 in 16 games and had a nightmare opening game against Iceland, who Ronaldo knows a thing or two about himself, including missing penalties.

Messi laboured – missing two free-kicks, a penalty (which prompted yet more questions about his record from the spot and quite if he should be taking penalties in the first place) and saw his side look abysmal at the back and far from fluid up top.

Before the World Cup began, the majority of people felt it would be the tournament of Messi – the one he shone in, and the one where he won the biggest prize of them all, and with Ronaldo far from impressive in the Champions League final, it seemed the Ballon d'Or could actually be up for grabs.

However, judging by the performances of the opening game – both in terms of the efforts on the field and the body language of the players, with Messi once again crumbling under the pressure of carrying his country – ironic, considering the side, on paper at least (and indeed on the bench and back at home *cough, Mauro Icardi, cough*) look far better than Portugal do.

Yet where Messi falters, Ronaldo shines. Ronaldo has suffered with his country as well – and never decided to throw his toys out the pram and retire, only to come back soon after. He's just put his head down and got on with it – and this summer it looks like it could pay real dividends.

A hat-trick against Spain in the same set of opening games that saw Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani come up empty, likewise with Leo Messi, not to mention the lack of game time for Olivier Giroud means it's over to Brazil to show they have someone who can stop Ronaldo making the race for the Golden Boot into a procession towards yet another individual accolade.

As the Spanish government swiftly learnt, you do not provoke Ronaldo without experiencing swift retribution, meaning Messi and Adidas may come to regret that photoshoot with goats yet.