Cristiano Ronaldo's best free-kick? Fan footage of his stunner v APOEL

Cristiano Ronaldo’s free-kick powers have certainly waned in recent years.

These days, the sight of the Portuguese superstar rippling the back of the net from a set-piece situation is pretty rare.

Ronaldo scored only one free-kick in Manchester United colours during the 2021/22 season, an effort against Norwich City at Old Trafford which was part of a match-winning hat-trick.

But it must be remembered that the 37-year-old was a bona fide dead-ball genius in his pomp.

In his first spell at United and with Real Madrid, Ronaldo was one of the best free-kick takers in the world.

Whenever the five-time Ballon d’Or winner stood over the ball in his trademark stance, you just felt as if the net would bulge a few seconds later.

Ronaldo has scored some absolute corkers, from a famous knuckleball effort versus Portsmouth to a sensational 40-yarder in a Champions League semi-final second leg against Arsenal.

And another one of Ronaldo’s specials came in the white of Real Madrid.

When the Spanish giant hosted Cypriot outfit APOEL Nicosia at the Santiago Bernabeu in the quarter-finals of the 2011/12 Champions League, Ronaldo performed a moment of set-piece magic.

From a very tight angle, football’s record goalscorer produced a dipping, swerving thunderbolt with his trusty right peg that flew into the far corner at rapid pace.

The poor APOEL ‘keeper didn’t stand a chance and fan footage of the incredible free-kick further highlights the sheer beauty of it.

This Cristiano Ronaldo Freekick