Roni has proved yet again he’s the Real deal:

PORTUGAL boss Fernando Santos hailed his goalscoring sensation Cristiano Ronaldo after the Real Madrid marksman frustrated Spain with a stunning hattrick.

In an enthralling match that saw the World Cup really take off, the former Manchester United ace had the final say with a stunning free-kick in the 3-3 Group B thriller.

Santos praised his star man who needed a slice of luck when David de Gea, widely regard- ed as the best goalkeeper in the world, let a regulation shot squirm away from him for Ronaldo’s second.

Santos (below) said: “Cristiano Ronaldo has incredible mental endurance, he has technical quality and an incredible mind — that is what makes him one of the best in the world.

“When it was 3-2 he was the one who raised his team. He plays in great teams, is always in great finals so that gives him a different perspective.

“We have to turn up the intensity, the Spanish team have great quality but we gave them too much space and there was a lack of aggressiveness.

“We have fought until the end and we believed it was possible. We didn’t want a draw but all in all I think it is a fair result.

“The result, we are not totally satisfied but the performance was better — the result left something to be desired. We are a very highly technical team and if you don’t have the ball it will be hard, we have to correct some aspects of our play.”

Manchester United stopper De Gea’s uncharacteristic blunder was another huge talking point.

United boss Jose Mourinho said: “It’s my boy, it hurts me to say but he knows it’s a bad mistake. It’s a mistake he doesn’t make with us, United — player of the season, fantastic performances. But that happens to the best.”

Ronaldo denied Spain’s interim manager Fernando Hierro from winning his first match in charge, scoring a free-kick in the 88th minute to complete a hattrick and salvage a point for the reigning European champions.