Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s greatest ever goal scorer, after reaching a landmark 807 goals.
Ronaldo surpassed Josef Bican as the official all-time top scorer in the history of men’s professional football with a hat-trick against Tottenham.
Ronaldo’s most successful spell of his career came in Madrid over a period of nine years, scoring 450 goals for the Galácticos.
These 450 goals account for more than half of his 807 career goals, but Ronaldo’s success has been at it’s most prominent on the greatest stage of them all.
With 141 Champions League goals, Ronaldo is the all time top scorer in the competition.
After 20 years of goal scoring excellence we’ve narrowed his brilliance down to his FIVE best goals.
Check out our five favourites below…
5) Ronaldo vs Sampdoria
Sampdoria 1-2 Juventus – December 18, 2019
With the match tied at 1-1 Juventus were looking to break the deadlock in order to carry on their title push.
While you might have expected the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to be involved, no one could have predicted how iconic this goal would become.
A picture really does speak a thousand words and it’s here we can see the staggering truth of just how high CR7 jumped to connect with Alex Sandro’s cross .
The Portuguese national reached a staggering 8.39ft (2.56m) which is higher than the crossbar (8ft) before heading past Sampdoria goalkeeper Emil Audero.
4 Ronaldo vs Spain
Portugal 3-3 Spain – June 15, 2018
As the doubters crept in, Ronaldo delivered as he always does.
With many believing the 2018 World Cup might be his last Ronaldo seemed more determined than ever to silence his critics.
Having already scored twice in the game Portugal somehow found themselves 3-2 down as the clock ticked towards full-time.
But in the 88th minute up stepped none other than Cristiano Ronaldo to slot home a perfectly placed free-kick past David De Gea, who was frozen to the spot as the ball sailed over the wall and nestled in the top corner.
It’s a goal that broke Spanish hearts many of which had spent nearly a decade supporting him in his time at Madrid.
3) Ronaldo vs Portsmouth
Manchester United 2-0 Portsmouth – January 30, 2008
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 14 years since that thunderous knuckleball free-kick was unleashed against Pompey, but it makes it into our top three Ronaldo goals of all time.
Manchester United’s era of dominance was well and truly upon us and two goals in three minutes saw Manchester United take all three points at Old Trafford.
In what was a routine win the game will always be remembered for Ronaldo’s stunning dead ball strike from distance which left the net rippling.
2) Ronaldo vs Porto
Porto 0-1 Manchester United – April 15, 2009
It was in his home nation of Portugal where Ronaldo produced one of the most iconic goals in Champions League history.
It was the 2nd leg in the Quarter-finals of the Champions League and Manchester United had their backs to the wall after Porto managed a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford.
With two away goals secured United had to score and in the sixth minute, Ronaldo unleashed a thunderbolt from 40-yards out with flew past Helton in the Porto goal, leaving fans stunned.
With jaws open from all four corners of the ground fans were left in disbelief as to what they had just witnessed.
1) Ronaldo vs Juventus
Real Madrid 3-0 Juventus – April 4, 2018
Finally, at Number One.
The Old Lady vs The Galácticos, it’s a Champions League classic under the floodlights.
A chance for players to make a name for themselves in one of the biggest games of the season.
After taking the lead Real Madrid were in the driving seat, but when Dani Carvajal delivered a seemingly wayward cross into the box, no one could have predicted the outcome.
The cross which appeared to be behind Ronaldo was suddenly met with an overhead kick.
Ronaldo defied gravity with both the leap and the airtime before the ball nestled in the bottom corner past Gianluigi Buffon.
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The Real Madrid fans erupted and manager Zinedine Zidane was seen to be mesmerised on the edge of his technical area.
In the moments that followed, sections of Juve fans also rose to their feet applauding a goal that will no doubt go down as one of the greatest in Champions League history.
Air Ronaldo had once again taken to the skies.
Honourable Mentions
- Back Heel Flick vs Hungary – June 22 2016
- Solo goal vs Galatasary – September 17 2013
- Free kick vs Villarreal – February 21 2010
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
