Following Real Madrid’s derby defeat to Atlético Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo found himself at the center of controversy once again—this time for allegedly criticizing his teammates in post-match comments. But as scrutiny surrounds his words, the spotlight has also shifted to something harder to ignore: a significant decline in his own performance this season.
Compared to his first six seasons at the Santiago Bernabéu, Ronaldo’s output has clearly dropped. In his initial six La Liga campaigns, the Portuguese star averaged over one goal per game—a staggering record by any measure. Yet in the current season, his goal rate has fallen to just 0.85 per match, marking his lowest scoring average since joining Real Madrid.
What’s more telling is Ronaldo’s performance against top-tier opposition. So far this season, he has scored only once in matches against La Liga’s top six teams—and that lone goal came against Celta Vigo. By contrast, in the previous season, he netted nine goals in those high-stakes matchups, showing a stark difference in impact when it matters most.
The decline isn’t limited to goal-scoring. Ronaldo’s overall attacking involvement has diminished. His average shots per game now stand at just 2.58, with only 0.96 of those hitting the target. For context, last season he averaged 1.23 shots on target per match, and back in the 2010–11 campaign, it was as high as 1.76. These stats suggest opposing goalkeepers are having a much easier time dealing with the once-lethal forward.
Passing numbers tell a similar story. This season, Ronaldo averages only 30.62 passes per game, with 24.35 of them completed—another career low at Real Madrid. And it’s not just his offensive stats that have dipped; his defensive contributions have also waned.
In his first five seasons with the club, Ronaldo averaged over two tackles per game, peaking at 3.18 under José Mourinho. But last season, that number dropped to just 1.29, and this year it has only slightly improved to 1.5. The data suggests that Ronaldo’s overall influence on both ends of the pitch is in steady decline.
Whether this dip is temporary or the beginning of a longer-term trend remains to be seen. But for now, both fans and analysts are taking note. For ongoing analysis of football’s biggest names and their performance trends, check out Jeetbuzz App Download.