900 goals and counting: Breaking down Cristiano Ronaldo’s incredible scoring feats

Cristiano Ronaldo reached yet another remarkable milestone in his illustrious career, scoring his 900th career goal on Thursday. The 39-year-old forward netted for Portugal in their Nations League match against Croatia, giving his team a 2-0 lead and prompting an emotional celebration as he dropped to his knees in tears by the corner flag.

Ronaldo has now scored 900 goals in his professional career — the first as a 17-year-old in October 2002 and the most recent at age 39 for Portugal against Croatia in the Nations League. He is, quite simply, one of the greatest goalscorers the sport has ever seen. Here is a detailed breakdown of Ronaldo’s extraordinary 900-goal scoring record.

Record-Breaking Journey Across Clubs and Countries

Ronaldo’s landmark 900th goal was his 131st for Portugal, where he is the all-time top scorer. His other 769 goals have been scored across his stints at Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and his current club, Al-Nassr. He remains the all-time leading scorer for Real Madrid (surpassing Raul’s mark of 323 in October 2015) and Portugal (overtaking Pauleta’s total of 47 in March 2014).

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has made it clear that he still has more to contribute on the international stage. His 900th career goal came in typical fashion, as he outpaced his marker to side-foot home a Nuno Mendes cross in the Nations League opener against Croatia.

Road to 1,000 Goals

Never content with past achievements, Ronaldo is already eyeing his next milestone—reaching 1,000 career goals. However, surpassing Pelé’s FIFA-recognized tally of 1,281 goals could be a challenge even for the Portuguese legend.

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Time is not on Ronaldo’s side since he is now 39, but the veteran is determined to keep playing until he reaches the incredible figure of 1,000 career goals. Speaking to his former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand in an interview on his YouTube channel, Ronaldo said he was confident he could hit the milestone within the next couple of years.

“I want to reach 1,000 goals,” he said. “If I don’t have any injuries, this for me is the most important [thing], I want that. All the goals I have scored have video.”

Unmatched Records for Portugal

Ronaldo’s 900th career goal came in his 213th appearance for Portugal, further extending his records as the nation’s all-time leading scorer and the highest-scoring male international player ever. Out of his 131 international goals, 109 have come from inside the penalty area, with only 20 from the penalty spot—a number that might have been higher had he not missed his last spot-kick against Slovenia in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.

Struggle at Euro 2024

The Euro 2024 tournament in Germany was a rare struggle for Ronaldo, who took 23 shots without finding the net—his first goalless performance in a major international competition. Only fellow Portuguese legend Deco has had more attempts (24) without scoring a single goal at the 2024 Euros.

Impressive Tournament Record Despite Challenges

Despite his recent struggles, Ronaldo has scored an impressive 22 goals in World Cup and European Championship tournaments for Portugal. He won the Golden Boot with five goals at Euro 2020, five years after leading the Selecao to their first major trophy at Euro 2016. Notably, only two of his tournament goals have come in knockout matches—against the Netherlands at Euro 2004 and Wales at Euro 2016.

A Legendary Club Career

While Ronaldo’s international achievements are iconic, his club career is equally exceptional. After scoring five goals for his boyhood club, Sporting CP, he netted 145 goals for Manchester United across two spells. He also crossed the 100-goal mark with Juventus, scoring 101 times, and is well on his way to doing the same with Al-Nassr, where he has already scored 68 goals.

Real Madrid: The Pinnacle of His Scoring Prowess

It was at Real Madrid where Ronaldo truly cemented his status as one of the greatest goal-scorers in football history. He scored an astounding 450 goals for Los Blancos, helping them win four Champions League titles and becoming the club’s all-time leading scorer—96 goals ahead of his former teammate Karim Benzema, who scored 354 goals in 648 appearances compared to Ronaldo’s 450 in just 438 games.

Right Foot, Left Foot, and Headers Goals

Analysing Ronaldo’s 900 goals reveals that 573 were scored with his favoured right foot, 173 with his left foot, and 152 with his head—a testament to his aerial prowess, which has only grown throughout his career. His record with dead balls is also noteworthy; Ronaldo has converted 164 penalties, including a crucial one in the 2014 Champions League final against Atletico Madrid, and scored 64 direct free-kicks, the latest in a 4-1 win over Al-Fayha in the Saudi Pro League.

Race with Lionel Messi

Where does Ronaldo stand compared to his peers? He currently leads his long-time rival Lionel Messi by 62 goals. Messi has scored 838 career goals for Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami, and Argentina. With Ronaldo still firing on all cylinders in Saudi Arabia and showing no signs of slowing down at the international level, few would bet against him extending that lead and continuing to build on his extraordinary legacy before finally retiring.

Ronaldo’s relentless pursuit of excellence has left an indelible mark on the sport. As he eyes the 1,000-goal mark, the world watches in anticipation to see just how far the Portuguese superstar can go.