Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese football icon, etched his name in history by scoring his 900th career goal in Portugal’s Nations League match against Croatia on Thursday. The milestone goal, a simple tap-in volley in the 34th minute, put Portugal ahead 2-0 at the Estadio da Luz. The victory ultimately ended 2-1 in favor of Portugal.
As the ball found the back of the net, Ronaldo fell to the ground, visibly overcome with emotion. Reaching this significant milestone in his illustrious career was a moment he had long anticipated. The 39-year-old superstar has now accumulated an astonishing 131 goals for his country, adding to his impressive club career tally. He has scored 450 goals for Real Madrid, 145 for Manchester United, 101 for Juventus, and 68 for his current team, Al Nassr. His professional journey began with Sporting Lisbon, where he netted five goals before making his mark on the world stage.
The achievement is even more remarkable considering that Ronaldo has now become the first male footballer to surpass the 900-goal mark in official matches, encompassing both club and international appearances. Argentina legend and World Cup winner Lionel Messi is second on the list of all-time top scorers, with a formidable total of 859 goals.
“It means a lot,” Ronaldo told AP after Portugal’s victory. “It was a milestone I wanted to reach for a long time. I knew I would reach this number, because as I continue to play, it would happen naturally.”
“It was emotional because it’s a milestone,” he added. “It seems like any other milestone, but only I know, and the people around me, how hard it is to work every day, to be physically and psychologically fit, to score 900 goals. It’s a unique milestone in my career.”
