Portuguese Star Forward Cristiano Ronaldo Notches 900th Career Goal

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during a Group F match between Turkey and Portugal at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, on June 22, 2024. Darko Vojinovic/AP Photo

One day after not being nominated for the prestigious Ballon d'Or award, Portuguese star forward Cristiano Ronaldo became the first men’s player in international soccer’s history to score 900 career goals in official matches.

Ronaldo, nicknamed CR7 because of his uniform number, reached the milestone in Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Croatia in a UEFA Nations League match. Ronaldo scored his team’s second goal on a close-range volley off a deft cross from Nuno Mendes.

“I dreamed of this and have more dreams. Thank you all,” Ronaldo posted on social media following the milestone.

Ronaldo has displayed goal-scoring prowess since he began his pro career at age 16 in his native Portugal, which has now spanned five countries.

Ronaldo earned a spot on the Sporting Clube de Portugal in 2002 until 2003. He was sold to Manchester United in 2003 and evolved into one of the world’s greatest goal scores. Ronaldo scored 42 times in his first season for The Red Devils, earning the Golden Shoe award as Europe’s leading scorer. He was also a key player in United’s run to a Champions League title in 2008.

Ronaldo was named the FIFA World Player of the Year for the 2007–2008 season.

Manchester United sold Ronaldo to Real Madrid in Spain for $131 million in 2009. He continued to excel and scored 40 goals in his first season—the most in La Liga history at the time. He also helped Real Madrid with the La Liga championship in 2011-12 and won his second FIFA World Player of the Year the following season. Ronaldo then led Real Madrid to four Champions League titles in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Overall, he has 451 goals in 438 matches for Real Madrid.

In July 2018, Ronaldo signed a four-year, $132 million contract with Juventus in Italy. In his first year with the team, he scored 28 goals. The following year, Ronaldo helped Juventus win the Serie A title, the 2020 Supercoppa Italiana, and the 2021 Coppa Italia Final.

In 2021, he re-signed with Manchester United but struggled to get playing time, which prompted the move to Saudi Arabia with the club Al Nasser.

In June 2023, Ronaldo became the first player to reach 200 international appearances when Portugal played Iceland. He celebrated that milestone by scoring the game-winner in the 89th minute.

Over his 23-year career, Ronaldo has scored 140 Champions League goals in 183 appearances for four teams: Sporting Clube de Portugal, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus. Ronaldo has finished seven separate Champions League seasons as the leading scorer—more than any other player in the competition.

Overall, Ronaldo has won five Ballon d'Or awards. Last month, he was honored with a soccer ball trophy as the top scorer in the Champions League’s history at the tournament’s annual draw in Monaco.

Ronaldo has never been short on confidence and predicted before this season that he would notch his 9ooth goal. Now, the question is whether Ronaldo can play long enough to score 1,000 goals.

“I will raise the level even higher,” Ronaldo said on the Aug. 31 edition of the podcast of former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand. “Soon I will reach 900, and after I will get 1,000. I want to reach 1,000 goals; if I do not have injuries, this is the most important thing for me. I want that.”