But until he can place a World Cup or European Championship winner’s medal alongside his three golden trophies, he will never be spoken of in the realms of the greatest players in history, such as Diego Maradona and Pele.
His incredible 2014 included a Champions League record goals haul, the surpassing of 200 Spanish league goals in record time and a new Portugal scoring milestone. He predictably collected the award which confirms him as the best player of the year.
Another such 12 months in 2015, and he and Lionel Messi will stand together as the Ballon d’Or's two most successful players of all time.
But what will that matter to future generations if neither Ronaldo nor Messi taste glory with their national teams? Both captain their countries, but both have only collected individual awards in the name of their nations.
Without Portugal ever feeling the benefit of his brilliance in the way of solid gold, how can its future football fans attend Ronaldo’s museum in Madeira without wondering what the fuss is really all about?
In the modern game, results seem too often to be translated into points for and against in the Ronaldo v Messi battle before anyone even considers what they mean for the two teams involved. People have lost sight of what really matters.
The pair’s seven-year duopoly of the Ballon d’Or has ensured that this era will forever be remembered for the tos-and-fros of its two biggest stars. But the truly major international competitions are still yet to see the form that has made them the twin pillars of the modern game.
Once more on Monday night, they were crowned as the best two players in football - despite the World Cup providing the greatest advertisement to the modern game. It also served as an example as to why both still have some way to go to reach the pinnacle of the sport.
Ronaldo – albeit carrying an injury – was a shadow of himself in Brazil, while Messi started superbly but saw his form fall away when Argentina needed it most in the latter stages.
The likes of Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller and Philipp Lahm had fantastic personal tournaments, as well as great calendar years with Bayern Munich, and also delivered the silverware in the greatest competition of them all. But that mattered not come Ballon d’Or time.
When did the World Cup become so meaningless in the minds of the football masses? How did that pulsating month in Brazil come to be so quickly forgotten amidst a sea of La Liga hat-tricks?
England coach Roy Hodgson was widely lambasted on social media for selecting Javier Mascherano as his number one choice for the Ballon d’Or, with Lahm and Neuer close behind.
And while the Argentina midfielder certainly didn’t deserve the award based on the entire 12 months, and while - like Messi - he didn't win the World Cup, Hodgson’s decision to base his decision on the summer showpiece was refreshing. It was a reminder that top-class football is meant to be about delivering on the biggest stage.
Maradona, Pele and even Zinedine Zidane will be recalled for their historic triumphs for their national teams. In current terms, Ronaldo is the outstanding star but, without an international trophy, his legacy will be questionable.
Just as he has yet to win a World Cup, there is also no European Championship final which has ended with Ronaldo lifting the prized trophy aloft. The same can be said of Messi and the Copa America.
Ronaldo’s 2014 title comes after four successes at club level with Real Madrid. But the two competitions which used to carry most weight – the domestic championship and the World Cup – both eluded him.
“I would like to say to the Portuguese: I never thought I would win this trophy on three separate occasions,” he said upon collecting the award, before notably adding: “Of course it is something that is always with me - I want to become one of the greatest players of all time and I hope to get there.”
He can still achieve his ultimate goal, but only if Portugal achieve theirs too. And this is not George Best, limited by a weak Northern Ireland team - Portugal's squad is packed with winners of club trophies; Maradona's leadership of Argentina at the 1986 World Cup was almost single-handed.
The most outstanding players are rightly expected to deliver on the biggest of occasions at least once in their career, leaving Ronaldo with one final hurdle to negotiate on his way to greatness. And, with Portugal toiling to qualify for the 2016 European Championship, time may be running out for the man from Madeira to be placed alongside Maradona and Pele as a contender to be the greatest of all time.
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