Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, the captain of Al Nassr, celebrated his 39th birthday yesterday, January 1st. Ronaldo has written a new chapter in his professional career by transferring to Al Nassr in January 2023. In just 13 months, he has achieved numerous accomplishments and contributed significantly to his team's impressive performances in various tournaments.
Here are 10 records that make Ronaldo one of the greatest footballers in history:
1. Ronaldo holds the record for the most goals in the UEFA Champions League, with 140 goals, surpassing Lionel Messi, the current star of Inter Miami and former player for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
2. Most international goals: Ronaldo has scored 128 international goals for the Portugal national team, a world record he achieved in September 2021 with two goals against Ireland.
3. Most international matches played: With 205 matches played for the Portugal national team, Ronaldo ranks first for most international appearances.
4. 50 goals in 7 consecutive years: Between 2011 and 2017, Ronaldo became the only player in the world to score 50 goals each year for seven consecutive years.
5. First to score in 5 World Cups: The Portuguese star was the first to score in five consecutive World Cups, scoring in his country's opening match against Ghana in 2022.
6. Champions League titles: Ronaldo is one of three players globally with five UEFA Champions League titles, alongside Luka Modric, Dani Carvajal, and Karim Benzema.
7. First to reach 10 international hat-tricks: With a hat-trick against Luxembourg in October 2021, Ronaldo became the first player to achieve 10 hat-tricks in international football.
8. Most appearances in the Champions League: On a European level, Ronaldo holds the record for the most appearances in the Champions League, with 183 matches.
9. First to reach 800 goals: According to "Fox Sports," Ronaldo is the first player to reach 800 career goals, with only Lionel Messi having matched this achievement.
10. Most goals in a single Champions League season: With 17 goals, Ronaldo leads the list for most goals scored in a single Champions League season during Real Madrid's tenth title-winning season in 2013-14. Remarkably, he also holds the second and third spots in the same list with 16 and 15 goals, respectively.
