Cristiano Ronaldo is widely regarded as the greatest goal scorer in soccer history and one of the soccer’s all-time greats. His rise to prominence in the Premier League with Manchester United was a resounding success, highlighted by winning a Ballon d’Or. Cristiano then joined Real Madrid, where he cemented his legacy as one of the best players in history. At 39 years old, Ronaldo continues to defy expectations, recently reaching an extraordinary milestone that Lionel Messi could never achieve.
After scoring a brace against Al Khaleej, Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved the remarkable feat of contributing to over 100 goals (goals + assists) for every club where he has played more than 70 games. This milestone sets him apart from Lionel Messi, who only reached the 100-goal (goals + assists) contribution mark at FC Barcelona. Cristiano’s consistency across different leagues and teams further cements his status as one of soccer’s most impactful players.
Lionel Messi spent the majority of his illustrious career at FC Barcelona, where he netted an incredible 672 goals and recorded 303 assists, contributing to a staggering 975 goals for the Catalan club. However, his impact outside Barcelona has been relatively modest.
During his tenure at Paris Saint-Germain, Messi scored 32 goals and provided 35 assists, directly contributing to 67 goals in 75 appearances for the French club. Now at Inter Miami Messi could still reach this figure since in just 39 games, he has scored 34 goals and delivered 18 assists, combining for 52 goal contributions.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr walks out during the AFC Champions League Elite match
Unlike Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved more than 100 goal contributions at nearly every club he has represented. The only exception is Sporting Lisbon, where he made his professional debut. During his time there, Ronaldo played 31 matches, recording 5 goals and 6 assists for a total of 11 goal involvements. At clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester United, Juventus, and even Al Nassr, Cristiano could surpass the 100-goal mark, including assists.
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Cristiano Ronaldo could reach an all-time historic goal record
Brazilian soccer legend Pele holds the record for the most goals scored in history, with a staggering 1,282 goals, according to Santos FC historian Odir Cunha. However, Pele is officially credited with 643 goals for Santos FC and a total of 767 by FIFA. This discrepancy has sparked controversy, as Cunha explains, “Of these, 448 were scored in what would be considered friendlies, and international friendly tournaments.”
Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, is edging closer to an unprecedented milestone of 1,000 official goals recognized by FIFA. The Portuguese star currently sits at 919 goals, needing just 81 more to achieve this remarkable feat. Addressing the debate surrounding Pele’s goal tally, Cristiano once remarked, “There is a difference: all the goals I scored have video. So, I can prove it. They are all on video.”
Cristiano Ronaldo’s statement was a pointed critique of those who claim Pele’s 1,282 goals as fact, given the lack of verifiable evidence. In contrast, all of his goals have been verified by FIFA, adding further credibility to his pursuit of the 1,000-goal milestone.
