Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo reached 700 career goals in official matches by scoring for Portugal in their 2-1 loss to Ukraine in a Euro 2020 qualifier on Monday.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner converted a penalty in the 72nd minute after a Ukraine player was judged to have handled a long-range shot in the box.
“Records come naturally, I don’t look for them, records are looking for me,” Ronaldo said after the match.
“Without having this obsession, they happen naturally. It’s a beautiful moment in my career but it turns out to be bitter because we didn’t win. But in my opinion we have to be proud because we played an excellent game. Why did I look to the sky in the goal? It’s not a number that everyone can reach. I thank you all, teammates, colleagues, coaches who have helped me to be the player I am, but there is a bitter taste for not winning.”
Ronaldo is the sixth player to achieve the feat, following ex-Germany striker Gerd Muller, Hungary legend Ferenc Puskas, Brazil’s Pele and Romario, and the Czech Republic’s Josef Bican.
The only other active player close to breaching the 700-goal mark is Barcelona and Argentina star, Lionel Messi, who has 672.
Ronaldo, 34, made his international debut at the age of 18 in a 1-0 victory over Kazakhstan on Aug. 20, 2003, and scored his first goal in the opening match of Euro 2004, which Portugal lost 2-1 to eventual winners, Greece, on June 12, 2004.