ISTANBUL
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first men’s player in history to score 900 goals in official matches. His remarkable goal-scoring feats have been instrumental in securing countless victories for his teams over the course of his illustrious career.
Scoring against Croatia in their opening UEFA Nations League match, the 39-year-old Portuguese superstar reached a remarkable milestone during Portugal’s 2-1 win on Sep. 5.
Ronaldo’s record-breaking goal came in the first half, as he found the net from close range following Nuno Mendes’ long-range assist.
“It means a lot,” Ronaldo said. “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,” he said after the victory.
His goal-scoring achievements have played a pivotal role in numerous victories for his teams throughout his career.
Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, has tallied 131 goals for his nation.
The legendary forward made huge contribution to top European teams, including 450 goals for Real Madrid, 145 for Manchester United, 101 for Juventus and five for his first club Sporting CP.
Ronaldo also scored for his current club Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr with 68 goals.
There are a select few players who have repeatedly experienced this feeling, cementing their names in the history books with their consistent achievements.
From Pele to Lionel Messi, these athletes have transcended the game, becoming icons by achieving extraordinary goal tallies and setting new benchmarks in football history.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi, second in the all-time scorer’s list, has bagged 859 career goals. Josef Bican is third on the list with 805.
• Lionel Messi (2004 -)
Lionel Messi has been prolific for Barcelona, scoring a total of 838 goals, making his first-team debut in 2004.
The 37-year-old Argentine forward also won record eight Ballon d’Or awards receiving his eighth Ballon d’Or award during the 2023 Ballon d’Or France Football award.
A 10-time Spanish champion and a four-time Champions League winner, Messi led Argentina to the 2021 and 2024 Copa America titles.
The Inter Miami player, who made appearances for Paris Saint-Germain last season, captained Argentina to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, ending a 36-year wait for his nation.
Argentine footballer features second on the list for the most goals in football behind Ronaldo.
• Joseph Bican (1931-1955)
Josef Bican, whose career spanned 1931 to 1956, was an Austrian-Czech professional star who played as a forward.
He is currently the second-highest goal scorer of all time with 805 goals in 530 matches.
Bican played for three different national teams: Austria, Czechoslovakia, and, briefly in 1939, the Bohemia and Moravia team.
He died in 2001 at the age of 88.
• Romario (1985-2009)
Romario de Souza Faria, known as Romario, is widely viewed as one of the greatest footballers ever. At the end of his career he clinched a record of 772 goals in just 994 matches.
Romario featured for Vasco da Gama, FC Barcelona, PSV Eindhoven, and Flamengo from 1985 to 2007.
The legendary Brazilian scored five goals in the 1994 FIFA World Cup in USA, winning the Golden Ball as a player in the tournament.
Romario took a career break in 2008 but retired from football in 2009.
The 56-year-old is now a senator for Rio de Janeiro.
• First (1956-1977)
There is no doubt that Pele is one of the most prolific goal scorers in football from previous generations, along with deceased Diego Maradona.
The ex-Santos star netted 767 goals in 831 matches in his career and produced 77 goals in 92 matches for the Brazilian national team. He is the second-highest goal scorer from Brazil.
Pele, 81, made his debut at the World Cup with Brazil in 1958, at only 17 years old. He helped Brazil bag the World Cup three times in 1958, 1962, and 1970.
He ended his career in 1977.
• Ferenc Puskas (1943-1966)
The legendary Ferenc Puskas is history’s most famous Hungarian football player.
He was captain of Hungary’s Golden Team, which clinched the gold medal at the Helsinki 1952 Olympic Games.
Puskas also gave his name to the award for the most beautiful goal of the year, the FIFA Puskas Award.
A three-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, Puskas’ career came to end with 741 goals in 746 games.
Puskas died in 2006. The Hungary and Real Madrid legend was 79.
• Gerd Muller (1962-1983)
Gerd Muller established himself as a legend at Bayern Munich, remaining the Bavarian team’s top goal scorer of all time by netting 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga matches.
Producing 735 goals in 793 matches, Muller took the 1974 World Cup and the 1972 European Championship.
He also captured the Golden Boot at the 1970 World Cup.
Muller passed away in 2021. The German legend was 75.
• Jimmy Jones (1946-1965)
Arguably the greatest Northern Irish footballer of all time, Jimmy Jones is still the record goal scorer in the Irish Football League.
In a career spanning nearly 20 years, Jones spent 11 years for Northern Ireland’s Glenavon and scored a total of 647 goals in 614 games.
Jones died in 2014 when he was 85.
• Robert Lewandowski (2006 – )
One of the best goal scorers in the football history, Robert Lewandowski played a vital role in Bayern Munich’s all title since 2014.
Winning 10 Bundesliga titles, eight with Bayern Munich, Lewandowski is the only star to be the top scorer in the German top-tier football league four times in a row.
The 36-year-old Polish was named Striker of the Year at the 2021 Ballon d’Or ceremony.
He has been voted second in 2021 as the first place went to Messi.
Lewandowski, who produced 103 goals for Borussia Dortmund, has netted 344 times for Bayern Munich since 2014 summer.
To date, the Polish striker has scored 656 goals in 928 matches.
Additionally he won the 2020 UEFA Champions League trophy.
After eight years with Bayern Munich, the striker joined Barca in 2022.
He is amongst the top five leading goal scorers in Champions League history and second on the list for the Bundesliga.
Lewandowski joined Muller – 365 goals – as the only player to score 300 goals in the Bundesliga.
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