Cristiano Ronaldo’s 900-goal milestone

Cristiano Ronaldo’s 900-goal milestone: six teams, countless records, and some unforgettable goals along the way—after becoming the first player to achieve this, how exactly did he do it?

Ronaldo became the first player in football history to reach 900 goals in his career after scoring for Portugal. He has netted goals for clubs like Manchester United and Real Madrid. On Thursday night, Cristiano Ronaldo made history, scoring his 900th career goal in a match against Croatia while representing Portugal.

The goal that secured this remarkable achievement was classic Ronaldo: the star sneaked in at the far post to slot home a clever cross from his teammate Rafael Leão on the left flank.

Recently, the 39-year-old spoke about his refusal to retire from international football after the 2024 European Championship, and it now seems he’s ready to lead his team into yet another major tournament in the coming years.

How many more goals will he score? That’s anyone’s guess. Still playing regularly for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo could potentially aim for 1,000 goals.

But how did he reach 900? And for which teams? Mail Sport has analyzed the stats that cement Ronaldo’s place as one of the greatest players of all time.

Throughout his career, Ronaldo made a name for himself with his deadly right foot, boasting a rare technique that allowed him to score all types of goals. One of his most famous right-footed goals was the stunning free kick he scored at age 40 for Manchester United against Portsmouth in 2008. Or, perhaps, the overhead kick he netted for Real Madrid against Juventus in the 2017/18 season.

In total, Ronaldo scored 573 of his 900 goals with his right foot. That’s 63.7% of his total strikes.

His left foot contributed 173 goals, making up 19.2% and proving his ability to score with both feet.

Another area where Ronaldo excels is headers. Everyone remembers his unbelievable leap to score for Juventus against Sampdoria in 2019, where he jumped 2.56 meters (8 feet, 4 inches) into the air.

In total, 152 of his 900 goals were headers—16.9% of his total—a remarkable figure in its own right.

Sharp-eyed readers may notice that these numbers add up to 898 goals. Two of Ronaldo’s goals are classified as “other” types. One came against West Ham in May 2008 when the ball bounced off his thigh, and another against Athletic Bilbao in 2014, when he completed a hat-trick with a ball that ricocheted off his elbow after a shot from Pepe. His iconic header for Juventus contributed to his tally, with 64 of his career goals coming from free kicks—the one against Portsmouth in 2008 possibly his best ever.

Throughout his career, Ronaldo has played for several major European clubs. He started at Sporting Lisbon before moving to Manchester United, and then to Real Madrid for a then-world record fee of about £80 million. He later moved to Juventus and now plays for Al-Nassr after another stint at Manchester United.

Ronaldo shone at Sporting as a young player, scoring five goals in 31 games before his move to United.

Overall, he scored 145 goals in 346 matches for the Red Devils during two spells—118 during his first stint between 2003 and 2009, and 27 in his second between 2021 and 2023.

Most notably, at Real Madrid—where his career truly soared—Ronaldo averaged more than a goal per game, scoring 450 goals in 438 appearances. His record at Madrid saw him win four Ballon d’Or titles—on top of the one he had already won at United—and four Champions League trophies, again adding to his earlier one from United.

His record at Juventus was impressive too. He scored 101 goals in 134 games, and he’s not far off similar numbers at Al-Nassr, where he’s netted 62 goals in 68 games so far.

On the international stage, Ronaldo is Portugal’s all-time top scorer with 131 goals—85 more than the second-placed Pauleta. The forward began his journey at Sporting Lisbon, scoring just five goals before his move to Manchester United, where he played twice. His first spell was far more successful than the second, and he also scored over 100 goals for Juventus during his time there.

Which teams have been on the receiving end of Ronaldo’s goals the most? Unsurprisingly, given his long stint at Real Madrid from 2009 to 2018, the top five teams he has scored against are Spanish sides.

Sevilla holds the record for most goals conceded to Ronaldo with 27, followed by Atlético Madrid with 25, Getafe with 23, and Barcelona and Celta Vigo with 20 each.

As for Premier League teams, Tottenham is the only one in the top 20, having conceded 14 goals to Ronaldo.

Where did he score?

Of Ronaldo’s 900 goals, 479 came at home—just over 50%.

Another 361 were scored away, with 60—6.7%—in neutral venues, demonstrating his ability to deliver in finals and international tournaments.

On the field, 164 of his goals were penalties. He missed 30, giving him a conversion rate of 84.5%.

Though he became somewhat synonymous with free kicks during his career, he has scored just 64 free-kick goals overall.

In total, 768 of his strikes came from inside the box, with 132 from outside.

What’s next?

97 of Ronaldo’s goals have come after the age of 37. He scored 69 goals during the 2011–12 season, his most successful campaign.

He’s scored 66 hat-tricks in his career. Benfica is the team he has faced most often without scoring, with five appearances and no goals.

He’s never scored against England in three games.

He is the all-time top scorer in the Champions League, European Championship, European Championship qualifiers, World Cup qualifiers, and the Club World Cup.