Cristiano Becomes First Player to Score 900 Goals in Football’s History

Cristiano Ronaldo has once again made history, becoming the first male football player to score 900 goals in official matches. He reached this milestone during Portugal’s UEFA Nations League match against Croatia in Lisbon on Thursday.

The historic moment came in the 34th minute when Ronaldo scored with a volley from six yards out, thanks to a cross from teammate Nuno Mendes. This goal put Portugal 2-0 up, and they eventually secured a 2-1 victory.

Ronaldo’s achievement sets him far ahead of other football greats. He is now 58 goals ahead of his closest rival, Lionel Messi, who has scored 842 goals. Brazilian legend Pelé is third on the all-time list with 765 goals.

This is not the first time Ronaldo has broken new ground. He was also the first player to surpass 800 goals, reaching that milestone in late 2021 during his second stint with Manchester United. In addition to his 900 total goals, Ronaldo holds the record for the most international goals, with 131 goals in 209 appearances. Messi and former Iranian forward Ali Daei are tied for second, each with 109 international goals.

Ronaldo’s club career has been equally impressive. His 769 club goals have been scored across several top teams, including Sporting CP, Real Madrid, Juventus, Manchester United, and his current club, Al Nassr.

At 39 years old, Ronaldo shows no signs of slowing down. He has already set his sights on his next goal: reaching 1,000 career goals. In a recent conversation with his former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand, Ronaldo expressed his determination to continue playing and achieve this ambitious target.

“I want to reach 1,000 goals,” Ronaldo said on Ferdinand’s YouTube channel. “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.”

Ronaldo also took the opportunity to emphasize the significance of his goals compared to those scored by other football legends, such as Pelé and Alfredo Di Stefano. He pointed out that every goal he has scored has been captured on video, a testament to the era in which he plays.

“All the goals I have scored, they have video,” Ronaldo noted. “I respect all of them [Pelé and Di Stefano]. And if you want more goals, I can bring them from training, too.”