Cristiano Ronaldo Continues To Break Records – Here Are Some Of The Crazy Stats Next To His Name
Why Ronaldo might go down as one of the greatest goal-scorers in football
At 40, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to defy the odds. Sure, his stock in club football has fallen ever so slightly. He is no longer a force to be reckoned with in European club competitions, given that he now plays in the Saudi Pro League. But he continues to set the standards on the international stage. As an athlete, he is the epitome of supreme fitness. You wouldn’t put it past him to make it to the World Cup in 2026, hoping to go out on a high.
The Al Nassr forward scored two goals against Hungary earlier this week as Portugal were held to a 2-2 draw at the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon in the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers. Ronaldo’s brace against the Hungarians took him to 143 international goals for Portugal and to 948 in his entire professional career. But more importantly, he broke yet another goal-scoring record as he inches closer to that magical figure of 1000 goals.
Here's a look at some of the stats that show why Ronaldo might go down as one of the greatest goal-scorers in football.
5: Ronaldo also holds the distinction of scoring in 5 World Cups. A record.
41: Ronaldo has now scored 41 goals in World Cup qualifying. This moves him clear of the previous record holder, former Guatemala striker Carlos Ruiz who notched up 39 qualifying goals. Other names in the list include, Lionel Messi (Argentina), Ali Daei (Iran) and Robert Lewandowski (Poland).
42: He not only scores goals, but helps creates them too. Ronaldo holds the record for the most number of assists in the Champions League.
141: Ronaldo has the most number of goals for a player in Champions League history.
19 of these are penalties – another record on its own.
143: Ronaldo has now scored a world record 143 goals since making his debut for Portugal in 2003. Those below him in the immediate list include Lionel Messi (114 goals, still playing for Argentina) Ali Daei (108 goals, Iran) and Sunil Chhetri (95 goals, still playing for India).
187: The Champions League-scoring record comes on the back of 187 appearances in the tournament, which is also a record on its own. Across his career in Europe, Ronaldo wore the colours of Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus. Messi is a close second in this list at 129.
225: He also holds the record for the most numbers of appearances for a national team in men’s football.