5 Truths: Cristiano Ronaldo rules again, Mario Mandzukic's moment of magic

A Champions League final goalscorer in 2008, 2014 and 2017; oh, and scorer of the winning penalty in the shoot-out of 2016. We have run out of things to say about Cristiano Ronaldo: his genius has drained the reservoir dry. And yet his enduring genius requires us to keep saying them. Year after year after year. In his fifth final - only Alfredo Di Stefano, Paolo Maldini and Paco Gento have played in more - Ronaldo seized his moment yet again, slotting home with a fine effort, which took a touch off Bonucci, after exchanging passes with Dani Carvajal. He then swept home a shot from a Luka Modric cross in the second half, and went vainly in search of his hat-trick.

It was quite a moment to score his 600th career goal for club and country. A fourth European Cup, with two clubs, and, most assuredly, a fifth Ballon d’Or now to draw level with Lionel Messi - Ronaldo is a genius at work and we are all privileged to be watching football in his era. In keeping with his evolution into Ronaldo 3.0 this was not an all-action display, but the most potent predator in football had his best Champions League final in a Real Madrid shirt, after two underwhelming outings previously. With hat-tricks in the quarter-final and semi-final against Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid, Ronaldo made this his season, his trophy.

Prior to Saturday night, the man patrolling the touchline for Real Madrid had pride of place in the pantheon of great European Cup final goals. But in the first half in Cardiff, Zinedine Zidane bore witness to a goal which was even more audaciously crafted than the shot he sent spearing into the top corner of the Bayer Leverkusen net in Glasgow 15 years ago.

The move started in the middle of the pitch when Leonardo Bonucci pumped a rather hopeful long pass out to Alex Sandro, haring down the left wing. He met the ball with a cushioned, volleyed cross which sought out Gonzalo Higuain in the centre of the box. The Argentina striker killed the ball on his chest and then poked it in the direction of Mandzukic, who had found a pocket of space just inside the penalty area.

His first touch - using his upper chest, nearly his throat in fact - sent the ball away from goal so he pivoted on his left leg and, with his back to goal, swung his right high into the air to catch the ball over his shoulder and send a stunning volley over the fingertips of Keylor Navas and under the bar. The ball had not touched the ground since leaving Bonucci’s boot. It was like something you might see on Copacabana beach. But this was the biggest game in football.

There is a curious strain of argument around Zinedine Zidane, or at least there was before tonight. It denies him credit for his achievements due to the fact that Real Madrid have fantastic players and some of the biggest pockets in football. What it ignores is that plenty of managers have failed at the Bernabeu, which is one reason the club have cycled through so many. Plenty of managers have also failed to win back-to-back Champions League titles, until now. In less than 18 months, Zidane has crafted one of modern football’s totemic achievements. It is also Madrid's third title in four years, and their 12th overall.

Perhaps he is no tactical genius like Pep Guardiola or Antonio Conte, but in the second half in Cardiff, we saw why Zidane deserves the credit he is often denied. After the break, Juventus crumbled. The reason was unclear, but Allegri’s charges lost their faculties and lost the game. Madrid, though, remained motivated, focused. Zidane has brought those qualities to this team, and as Ronaldo celebrated his second another was evident too. Marcelo was the only outfield player to fail to join in the melee - because he was on the other side of the pitch. Madrid are together. Zidane has found the perfect alchemy. And he even saw one of his subs grab a late goal.

What more does he need to do to prove himself?

Football can be intolerably cruel. So much of the pre-match focus was around the great Gianluigi Buffon and his quest to finally win the Champions League. Dani Alves said it would be “one more magical page added to his football history.” But a rough night in Cardiff left the 39-year-old full of regret.

There was little he could have done about any of the Madrid goals. The first two, scored by Ronaldo and Casemiro, were both deflected out of his reach, and Ronaldo’s second was so perfectly executed from such close range that he never stood a chance. Marco Asensio's late fourth found the opposite corner. One of the finest careers goes unfulfilled. Buffon can console himself with the fact that he is in good company: Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic spring to mind.

European Cup finals do not always live up to their billing but this did. The first half was a rip-roaring 45 minutes of almost non-stop entertainment. Paulo Dybala showed off some gorgeous touches, Cristiano Ronaldo got an expertly crafted goal to score in his third final, Mandzukic did what Mandzukic did, and Sergio Ramos even contributed with his obligatory booking. There was something for everyone as two of the best teams in Europe battled it out in a thrilling contest. Zidane had promised an "open” game, and the champions of Spain and Italy obliged.

Juventus could not maintain their efforts in the second half, as the energy dropped out of their performance, but Madrid picked up the slack. Casemiro hit a barn-storming second from 30 yards, which on closer inspection took a big deflection, before Ronaldo grabbed his second with a sumptuous finish at the near post from a Luka Modric cross. Ramos then contrived to get Juve substitute Juan Cuadrado sent off with some comical playacting before Asensio wrapped things up. It was nothing if not memorable.

In this respect, the final was entirely in keeping with what has been a tremendous Champions League this season. The knockout stages - the yardstick by which any campaign is really judged - delivered drama after drama. In the last-16 alone there was Monaco’s 6-6 away goal win over Manchester City, Bayern’s 10-2 demolition of Arsenal over two legs and the sensational comeback which saw Barcelona overturn a 4-0 first-leg defeat to PSG by winning 6-1 at home. Dortmund and Monaco shared nine goals over two legs in the quarters, while Madrid and Bayern did the same, even if the semi first legs left little room for intrigue. Cardiff was the denouement this season deserved.