Cristiano Ronaldo becomes first man to score 900 career goals

Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 900th goal of his illustrious career in Portugal's UEFA Nations League group stage match against Croatia in Lisbon on Thursday.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner volleyed in a cross from Nuno Mendes in the 34th minute of the first half, doubling Portugal's lead in the 2-1 victory. An emotional Ronaldo celebrated by holding out his arms as he raced to the corner of the pitch, before placing his hands on his face and dropping to the ground.

Ronaldo's goal marked his 131st for Portugal, extending his record for the most international goals in world football. Combined with his 769 club goals, the Portugal captain became the first men's player in history to score 900 goals in official matches.

"It means a lot," Ronaldo said after the game, according to the Associated Press. "It was a milestone I wanted to reach for a long time. I knew I would reach this number, because as I continue to play, it would happen naturally."

The 39-year-old was also the first men's player in history to score 800 goals for club and country, according to the Olympics.

Longtime rival Lionel Messi is in second place with 842 goals, while Brazilian legend Pelé is third with 765 goals, according to ESPN.

Ronaldo's latest milestone adds to his highly decorated career, which includes holding the all-time record for most Champions League goals (141).

"It was emotional because it's a milestone," he said, per AP. "It seems like any other milestone, but only I and those around me know how hard it is to work every day, to stay physically and mentally fit, and to score 900 goals. It's a unique milestone in my career."

The five-time Champions League winner began his club career with Portuguese side Sporting CP before joining Manchester United in 2003. After six seasons at United, he moved to Spanish La Liga giants Real Madrid, where he scored 450 goals in 438 games during his nine years at the club. Following a two-year stint with Italian side Juventus, Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in 2021, where he played until 2023 before moving to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.

In his recently launched YouTube channel, Ronaldo told his former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand that he is already eyeing his 1000th career goal.

"I want to reach 1,000 goals. If I don't have any injuries, that's the most important thing. I want that. For me, the best mark I can have in football is to first reach 900 goals. After that, my challenge is to get to 1,000 goals."