Cristiano Ronaldo didn't play too badly against Spain, did he?

In a blockbuster match in Sochi on Friday, Ronaldo put on one of the finest individual performances in the competition's recent history and bagged a hat-trick along the way. It was simply breath-taking stuff and made all the more incredible by his late free-kick to secure the point for Portugal.

With Spain commanding a 3-2 lead virtue of a Diego Costa brace and Nacho half-volley, the Real Madrid star was awarded a free-kick close to the opposition's penalty area.

It almost looked too close for Ronaldo to get it over the wall but he had other ideas.

David de Gea simply stood statuesque in his goal as Ronaldo fired the Telsta over the Spanish wall and into the top right corner, using his trusty knuckle ball technique.

Mourinho praises Ronaldo

And while everybody with any interest in football gave Ronaldo his due praise, it came from a very high source in the form of Jose Mourinho during his punditry duties with Russia Today.

The player's former manager at Real madrid noted: "He knew. He knew and that's what I really admire in some players and he is a great example.

"There are players for some matches, there are players for every matches and there are players for special matches. And the players for special matches are the ones."

Mourinho on Ronaldo's free-kicks

Absolutely spot on, Jose, and the Portuguese also made an interest point on Ronaldo's free-kick taking.

"His [free-kick] record lately is not the best, I think for every free-kick he takes in the national team, he is not scoring as much as he did for Manchester United and for the first years in Real Madrid," Mourinho observed.

"But this one is the critical one, this one is a crucial point, it can affect the self-esteem, the self-confidence, the way to appear in the next two matches, the rivalry, what it means for Portuguese people who is at home.

"And he has this little touch, this little feeling and the goal is fantastic."

It's no secret that Ronaldo's free-kick goal scoring has declined recently but, like Mourinho says, getting it right at that crucial moment makes it all irrelevant.

The lift such a dramatic equaliser will bring to the Portuguese team is unparalleled and they will feel confident going into games with Iran and Morocco.

It doesn't matter if Ronaldo had gone 50 free-kicks without finding the net, just one success in the last minute of a World Cup clash can make the difference.

Mourinho knows it, Ronaldo did it and the whole footballing world enjoyed it.

Do you think Ronaldo is the best free-kick taker in football? Have your say in the comments section below.