September 06, 2024
By Samuel Ogunsona
Cristiano Ronaldo makes another history, become the first men’s player to score 900 goals in official matches.
The milestone was reached during Portugal’s UEFA Nations League match against Croatia in Lisbon on Thursday, where Ronaldo scored a historic volley in the 34th minute to put Portugal 2-0 up.
Ronaldo’s impressive tally of 900 goals puts him 58 goals ahead of his closest rival, Lionel Messi, who has scored 842 goals. Brazilian legend Pelé ranks third with 765 goals.
This achievement marks another record-breaking moment for Ronaldo, who was also the first player to break the 800-goal barrier in 2021. His 131 international goals in 209 appearances make him the all-time leading scorer, surpassing Messi and former Iran forward Ali Daei.
Ronaldo’s club goals are divided among Sporting CP, Real Madrid, Juventus, Manchester United, and Al Nassr, with a total of 769 goals.
The 39-year-old superstar has expressed his desire to continue pushing boundaries, aiming to reach 1,000 goals by the age of 41.
“If I don’t have any injuries, this is the most important [thing] for me, and I want that. For me, the best mark that I can have in football is to reach 900 goals first. After, my challenge is to be at 1,000 goals.”
Ever competitive, Ronaldo was quick to point out what would set his goals apart from those of other all-time scorers, including legends such as Pele and Alfredo Di Stefano, who played in eras when cameras weren’t as prevalent.
He added, “All the goals I have scored, they have video.
“They all have video. Listen, I respect all of them [Pele and Di Stefano]. And if you want more goals, I can bring them from training, too. And I will prove to the people after. They prefer this player, or this is the best one. I don’t care about that.”
