As amazing as the milestone itself, Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Croatia in the UEFA Nations League marked the road to reach the 900 mark.
The remarkable story of Cristiano Ronaldo’s continuous development, unwavering devotion to his craft, unrelenting pursuit of perfection, unstoppable quest for greatness, and astounding longevity at the highest level is condensed into 900 goals over 21 years, 1236 games, and numerous victories.
The road to the 900 has been as amazing as the achievement itself. Its analysis and specifics serve to emphasize how exceptional Ronaldo is as a goal scorer and how unique his style is. His thirst for glory and goals is still blazing strong, which is the only more jaw-dropping thing about him.
Ronaldo’s career goals
| Cristiano Ronaldo – Senior Career | Goals |
|---|---|
| Al-Nassr | 68 |
| Juventus | 101 |
| Manchester United | 145 |
| Portugal | 131 |
| Real Madrid | 450 |
| Sporting CP | 5 |
| Total: | 900 |
According to Opta:
- Ronaldo has 164 penalties and 64 free-kicks in his 900 goals
- He has scored 768 inside the area and 132 outside the area
- He has scored 573 goals with his right foot, 173 with his left, 152 headers, and two ‘other’
- He has 66 hat-tricks
- 479 goals have been scored at home; 361 scored away from home; and 60 at neutral venues
In his career, Ronaldo has scored the most goals against the following teams: Barcelona (20), Getafe (23), Atletico de Madrid (25), Sevilla (27), and Celta de Vigo (20).
272 goals after turning 33
After scoring 450 goals for Real Madrid at the age of 33, Ronaldo’s departure was misinterpreted as a sign that his abilities were waning. Although he no longer possesses the same explosive pace as in his twenties, his goal-scoring ability is still deadly.
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He scored goals by the truckload wherever he went. He has scored almost as many goals in his 30s (437, with five months left before turning 40) as he did in his 20s (440).
More than 50 goals a season
Ronaldo’s productive springtime years, which spanned from his second to his final season in Madrid and included four Champions League titles and as many Ballon d’Or victories, were from 2010–11 to 2017–18.
He scored more than 60 goals in a season three times, including a season-high of 69 in 2011–12. It was also time for him to start playing as a centre-forward, occupying the middle sections of the box instead of the sides as he had done in the past.
However, the majority of his goals (410) came when he played as a left-winger. His total goals as a centre-forward are 348, with the remaining goals coming from the right flank or as a second striker.
It’s interesting to note that he scored 45 goals starting on the left wing for Portugal, but 48 percent of his goals came as a centre-forward (63 off 131).
The designation merely serves to highlight his skill at filling in a variety of front-line roles and his flexibility in responding to different managers’ game plans. His best years (450 goals in 438 games) were enticed by Real Madrid.
