Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo Gets Emotional On Scoring Historic 900th Career Goal

Cristiano Ronaldo, left off the Ballon d’Or shortlist, continued his legendary career with another remarkable achievement. On Thursday, the Portuguese icon scored his 900th career goal as his team defeated Croatia 2-1 in their UEFA Nations League opener. Ronaldo had edged closer to this milestone with a stunning free-kick for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia just days earlier. His latest goal, a well-placed finish from a Nuno Mendes cross in the 34th minute at the Estádio da Luz, solidified his place in football history.

The 39-year-old forward appeared deeply emotional as he celebrated, marking his 131st goal for Portugal. His career tally includes a significant number of goals for Real Madrid, along with contributions from Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United and his current team, Al-Nassr. Ronaldo also took to social media to celebrate this historic milestone, hinting that he has no plans to retire anytime soon.

Earlier in the match, Diogo Dalot had put Portugal ahead before Ronaldo goal, but a Dalot own-goal leveled the score briefly. Portugal group in this edition of the Nations League also includes Poland and Scotland. On Sunday, Portugal will face Scotland in Lisbon, with Ronaldo—already the all-time leading scorer in professional football—continuing to make his mark. Lionel Messi trails behind with 838 career goals.

Cristiano Ronaldo 900th Career Goal

Cristiano Ronaldo goal celebration highlighted the deep significance of reaching his 900th career goal. Overwhelmed with emotion, he raised his hands, dropped to his knees and was then surrounded by congratulating teammates. Later, Ronaldo acknowledged the crowd support, waving and thanking them for sharing in this historic moment.

After Portugal 2-1 victory over Croatia, Ronaldo reflected on the milestone, saying, “It means a lot. It was a milestone I aimed for a long time. I always believed it would come naturally as I continued to play. It’s emotional because it’s not just any milestone; it’s one I’ve worked incredibly hard to achieve. The dedication, physical and psychological effort required to score 900 goals makes this achievement unique in my career.

Ronaldo Targets 1000 Goals

Shortly after reaching his 900th career goal, Cristiano Ronaldo took to social media to express his gratitude. On X, he shared a heartfelt message: I dreamed of this, and I have more dreams. Thank you all!” Ronaldo also celebrated this achievement on his newly launched YouTube channel, UR Cristiano, where he posted a clip highlighting his 900 career goals.

Just five days prior, Ronaldo had reached another personal milestone by hitting 1,000 goals. In a video on his YouTube channel, he discussed his ambition to be the first player to score 1,000 goals. In a conversation with former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand, Ronaldo mentioned his goal of reaching this landmark, emphasizing the challenge he set for himself to achieve it. At 5:28 in the video, Ronaldo reflects on the significance of both milestones and his drive to push the boundaries of his career.

Goalkeeper & Defence

• Diogo Costa (7/10): Was at full stretch to deny Andrej Kramaric well-struck drive but there was little he could do for his team own goal. A solid pair of hands in between the sticks.
• Diogo Dalot (7/10): Showed the predatory instincts of a striker with a clinical strike early doors but was unfortunate to score at the other end as the ball flicked off his ankle and past the despairing Costa. Pulled off a stunning sliding tackle to halt a dangerous Croatia attack in the game final quarter.
• Ruben Dias (8/10): The Manchester City star largely dealt with whatever came his way and had a swagger about him in possession.
• Goncalo Inacio (6/10): Was solid enough but didn’t look as assured at the back as defensive partner Dias.
• Nuno Mendes (8/10): Bagged a stunning assist with an inch-perfect cross into the box, as Ronaldo did the rest. The marauding full-back nearly scored a goal of his own but his rifled effort was straight at the keeper. This was an impressive, all-round display from the 22-year-old.

Midfield

• Bernardo Silva (6/10): Had a quiet first half by his lofty standards and despite getting a bit more of the ball in the second period, the City ace seemed under-used on the night.
• Vitinha (7/10): Anchored Portugal midfield well and drove out from deep nicely. The Paris Saint-Germain player was a smooth operator in the centre of the park.
• Bruno Fernandes (8/10): Neatly set up Dalot with some quick feet and a lofted pass, before the right-back tucked away a composed finish in a creative performance. Also did his fair share of defensive work, too.

Attack

• Rafael Leao (7/10): Looked a threat coming off the left wing and linked up with Ronaldo well, before being replaced at the interval.
• Cristiano Ronaldo (8/10): His powerful low drive was well saved by keeper Livakovic but he got his goal not long after with a poacher’s finish from six yards out for his 131st international goal. The Al-Nassr man was always looking for work and linked up well with his team-mates.
• Pedro Neto (7/10): Was unlucky not to make it 3-1 just before half-time as his powerful strike cannoned off the bar. He too was withdrawn for the second half.

Subs & Manager

• Joao Neves (5/10): Gave the ball away cheaply and had little impact when he came on. Is unlikely to start soon based off this display.
• Nelson Semedo (8/10): Showed a lot of attacking intent and was a threat every time he gallivanted forward.
• Antonio Silva (7/10): Was neat and tidy at the back when introduced.
• Diogo Jota (N/A): Didn’t get much of a chance to have a say on the contest.
• Pedro Goncalves (N/A): Had no time to make an impact.
• Roberto Martinez (7/10): His side was on song and looked slick for much of the game and his substitutes, specially Semedo, worked nicely.

Cristiano Ronaldo to Receive Uefa Award at Champions League Ceremony

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to receive a special UEFA award in recognition of his status as the all-time leading goalscorer in the Champions League. The Portuguese forward, a five-time winner of the prestigious tournament, will be honored during the revamped draw for this season’s competition on Thursday, August 29, in Monaco.

Ronaldo has made an indelible mark on the Champions League with 140 goals in 183 appearances, representing Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus over 18 seasons. At 39, he remains the top scorer in seven different campaigns and holds an 11-goal lead over Lionel Messi, his long-time rival, with both players now playing outside of Europe.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin praised Ronaldo remarkable career, stating, “Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the brightest stars in the UEFA Champions League constellation. His sustained excellence at the highest level is a testament to his relentless pursuit of both team and individual honors. Over more than two decades, he has continuously evolved and refined his game while preserving a youthful passion for scoring and celebrating goals.”

Ronaldo Champions League journey began with Manchester United, where he won his first title in 2008. He is move to a Real Madrid in 2009 led to four more Champions League victories. Capped 212 times by Portugal, Ronaldo is also the leading all-time male international goalscorer with 130 goals. Despite being a veteran, he remains committed to contributing to his national team.

In a recent interview with Portuguese channel NOW, Ronaldo revealed, “When I leave the national team, I won’t announce it in advance; it will be a spontaneous but well-considered decision. For now, I want to help the team in upcoming matches, including the Nations League, and I am eager to play.

Ronaldo Historic Goal Helps Portugal Beat Croatia

Cristiano Ronaldo 900th career goal helped Portugal to a 2-1 win over Croatia in their first Nations League game on Thursday as Diogo Dalot opened the scoring for the hosts and netted an own goal. Dalot put Portugal ahead in the seventh minute whenBruno Fernandesplayed a clever chipped pass into his path and the defender went past Borna Sosa before firing his shot through the legs of the keeper.

Ronaldo, who failed to score in Portugal’s five Euro 2024 games, reached his milestone when he got on the end of a perfect cross fromNuno Mendesand the unmarked 39-year-old tapped in from close range to double the lead in the 34th minute.

Croatia pulled one back four minutes from the break when Dalot deflected a sliding effort from Sosa into his own net but a scoreless second half gave Portugal a winning start to their campaign. In Thursday other League A Group 1 game, Poland beat Scotland 3-2. Portugal host Scotland and Croatia entertain Poland on Sunday.