Portugal failed to defend their European Championship crown, as Belgium defeated the Euro 2016 champions 1-0 in the Round of 16 on Sunday, June 27. That means Cristiano Ronaldo has already gone out of the tournament, despite having become the all-time leading goalscorer thanks to his five goals fromthe Group Stage.
Ronaldo had little effect against Belgium, despite having one first-half freekick that Thibaut Courtois had to punch away. With 14 overall European Championship goals, he is the competition’s all-time leading scorer. Meanwhile, with 109 goals for Portugal’s senior team, the CR7 is tied with Ali Daei for the most number ofinternational goals scored.
During the competition, the superstar set a handful of records, even though he was expected to add some more which seemed more important than the others.Following the defeat at the Estado deLa Cartuja in Seville, the veteran headed directly to the changing room after greeting a few of the other players on the field. This could have likely been his final European Championship, as he will be 39 when the next European Championship comes around in 2024.
The Portugal national team. (Getty)
How many records did Ronaldo break at UEFA European Championship 2020?
Cristiano Ronaldo has managed to set six new records during his stay at theEuro 2020, out of a possible nine. Let’s take a look at all the records that the 36-year-old broke at the UEFA European Championship 2020.
1.UEFA European Championshipall-time top goalscorer
Ronaldo was the second topgoalscorer in Euros prior to the beginningof the 2020 edition, tied with Michel Platini with a total of ninegoals. He managed to add another five in the four games he had featured in, jumping ahead of the French legend with 14 goals.
2. Most goals in FIFA World Cup and UEFA Eurocombined
Cristiano Ronaldo has added another piece of history to his collection after breaking Germany legend Miroslav Klose’s record for combined goals at World Cups and European Championships. Klose scored a total of 19 goals (16World Cupgoals and three at the Euros), while Ronaldo now has 21 (seven World Cup strikes, as well as 14Euros goals).
3.Oldest Portuguese player to score in a major tournament
Ronaldo broke Pepe’s World Cup 2018 record of 35 years, 124 days, when he scored against Hungary, to become the oldest player to score for Portugal in a major tournament at the age of 36 years, 130 days. With his brace against France, Juventus’ ace also became the oldest player to score at least two goals in a European Championship match (at 36 years, 139 days), beating his own record established in Portugal’s European Championship 2020 opening clashagainst Hungary.
4. Only player to feature infiveUEFA Euro tournaments
Since Portugal hosted the event in 2004, the forwardhas represented his home nation at every Euro tournament and has remained their biggest star in the squad even 17 years later. Ronaldo has now played in five Euros, and no player has managed to get this far.
5.Only player to score in five UEFA Euro tournaments
Ronaldo also scored in every Euro in which he took part. He has becomethe loneplayer to score in five separate UEFA European Championshipafter putting his name on the scoresheet from the penalty spotin the opening match against Hungary.
6.Most wins by a player inUEFA Euro
For the most number of wins, Ronaldo entered theEuro 2020 in a three-way tie. He was tied to Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas with a number of 11wins. However,thanks to the3-0 triumphover Hungary, he broke that record and crashed out of this year’s edition with 13total victories.
