Cristiano Ronaldo reached another extraordinary milestone in his career on Thursday, scoring his 900th goal during Portugal’s Nations League match against Croatia. The 39-year-old forward netted his 131st goal for his country, bringing the score to 2-0, and marked the moment with an emotional celebration, dropping to his knees by the corner flag in tears.
Ronaldo’s illustrious career spans multiple top-tier clubs, including Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and currently Al-Nassr. His journey began on October 7, 2002, when, at just 17, he scored his first competitive goals for Sporting Lisbon in a 3-0 win against Moreirense. He has since become the leading scorer in men’s football at the highest levels, having surpassed 800 official goals during his second spell at Manchester United.
At Real Madrid, Ronaldo cemented his place as one of football’s greatest, scoring 450 goals in just 438 appearances over nine seasons. His stints at Juventus and his return to Manchester United saw him add 101 and 27 goals, respectively, before joining Al-Nassr, where he has already netted 68 goals.
While there is no official global record of the top goal scorers in men’s football, Ronaldo leads the chart for official games. Rival claims by Brazil’s Pele and Romario suggest they scored over 1,000 goals, but those include friendlies. According to the RSSSF, Pele scored 778 goals, while Romario tallied 785. Lionel Messi, Ronaldo’s long-time competitor, has scored 867 goals so far.
Despite being 39, Ronaldo remains determined to reach the 1,000-goal milestone, a feat he believes is possible within the next few years if he stays injury-free. “I want to reach 1,000 goals,” he said in a recent interview with Rio Ferdinand. “If I don’t have any injuries, this for me is the most important (thing), I want that.”
With his incredible work ethic and love for the game, Ronaldo continues to chase records, inspiring generations of football fans worldwide.
Melissa Enoch
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