Cristiano Ronaldo has made history by becoming the first men’s player to reach the remarkable milestone of 900 goals in official matches. This incredible achievement occurred during Portugal’s UEFA Nations League match against Croatia in Lisbon on Thursday. Ronaldo scored his historic goal with a stunning volley from just six yards out, connecting perfectly with a cross from Nuno Mendes. This goal helped Portugal secure a 2-0 lead in the 34th minute, and they ultimately won the match 2-1.
With this latest goal, Ronaldo extends his lead as the all-time top scorer, now sitting 58 goals ahead of his closest rival, Lionel Messi, who has 842 goals. Brazilian football legend Pelé follows in third place with 765 goals. Ronaldo had previously made headlines by being the first player to surpass the 800-goal mark, achieving that milestone in late 2021 during his second stint with Manchester United.
The Portugal captain has an impressive record of 131 international goals in 209 appearances, making him the highest-scoring player in international football history. Messi is once again in second place on this list, with both he and former Iranian forward Ali Daei having scored 109 international goals.
Ronaldo’s goal tally is not limited to his time with Al Nassr and Manchester United; he has also achieved significant success with Sporting CP, Real Madrid, and Juventus, contributing to his impressive total of 769 club goals. As a 39-year-old athlete, Ronaldo shows no signs of slowing down. In recent comments, he expressed his ambition to reach even greater heights, aiming for the milestone of 1,000 goals.
“I want to reach 1,000 goals,” Ronaldo stated during a discussion with his former teammate Rio Ferdinand on YouTube. He believes that if he can avoid injuries, this ambitious target is within his reach. Ronaldo emphasized that reaching 900 goals was just the beginning, and his next challenge is to hit the 1,000-goal mark.
Ronaldo’s competitive spirit shines through as he highlights the unique nature of his goal-scoring achievements. He noted that every goal he has scored has been recorded on video, distinguishing his accomplishments from those of past legends like Pelé and Alfredo Di Stefano, who played in times when such documentation was not as prevalent. He stated, “I respect all of them, but all my goals have video evidence.” His determination and ambition continue to inspire fans and future generations of footballers around the world.