Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest football legends, has reached 1,016 career goals as of 2024, becoming a symbol of perseverance and exceptional talent. With this goal tally, he has made his mark at prestigious clubs such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al-Nassr, and the Portuguese national team. Ronaldo's achievements are not only impressive numbers but also a testament to his timeless dedication and ability to score spectacular goals in all circumstances. These goals have made him the highest-scoring player in football history, affirming his unique position in the sport. Ronaldo is more than just a footballer; he is a worldwide icon. Let's learn about Ronaldo total goals with Win Betting Tips through the following article!
Ronaldo total goals in his career
Cristiano Ronaldo reached a major milestone on Thursday when he scored the 900th goal of his illustrious career. The 39-year-old scored for Portugal in their Nations League clash with Croatia, putting them 2-0 up. The striker was visibly emotional as he knelt by the corner flag and cried. It was his 131st goal for his country, and he has also scored at club level for Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and his current club Al-Nassr.
"It's emotional because it's a milestone," Ronaldo said. "It seems like any other milestone, but only I and the people around me know how hard it is to work every day, to be physically and mentally fit, to score 900 goals."
"It's a special milestone in my career."
Goals for over two decades
Ronaldo's longevity is such that if someone had been born when he scored his first career goal, they would now be 21. He scored a brace for Portuguese side Sporting on 7 October 2002, aged 17 years, eight months, and three days, in a 3-0 win over Moreirense. He subsequently joined Manchester United, where he scored 118 goals in 293 matches for the club, before making a move to Real Madrid in 2009, for a world-record transfer fee of €94 million (£80 million).
In nine years at the Spanish giants Real Madrid, he scored 450 goals in just 438 games before moving to Italy to join Juventus. He added another 101 goals in three years with Juventus before returning to United, where he scored 27 goals in 54 games. However, his return to the Red Devils did not have a fairytale ending, and in 2023, he moved to Saudi Arabia to join Al-Nassr, where he scored 68 goals and continues to add to his tally. Incredibly, nearly half of Ronaldo's goals—437 in total—have come since he turned 30 in February 2015.
How Ronaldo scores goals
According to Opta:
- Ronaldo has scored 164 penalties and 64 free kicks out of his total of 900 goals.
- He has scored 768 goals inside the box and 132 outside the box.
- He has scored 573 goals with his right foot, 173 with his left foot, 152 with his head, and two with other parts of his body.
- He has 66 hat-tricks.
- 479 of his goals have been scored at home, 361 have been scored away, and 60 have been scored on neutral grounds.
The teams Ronaldo has scored the most goals for in his career to date are Sevilla (27), Atlético de Madrid (25), Getafe (23), Barcelona (20), and Celta de Vigo (20).
Ronaldo's goals in 23 seasons
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the top scorers in football history. He has played professionally for 23 seasons from the start of his career at Sporting Lisbon (2002-2003) until now, through big clubs such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and Al-Nassr, along with the Portuguese national team. Here are Ronaldo's goals by season:
1. Sporting Lisbon (2002–2003)
- Games: 31
- Goals: 5
2. Manchester United (2003–2009)
- 2003–2004: 40 games, 6 goals
- 2004–2005: 50 games, 9 goals
- 2005–2006: 47 games, 12 goals
- 2006–2007: 53 games, 23 goals
- 2007–2008: 49 games, 42 goals
- 2008–2009: 53 games, 26 goals
- Total at MU (first): 292 games, 118 goals
3. Real Madrid (2009–2018)
Ronaldo reached the peak of his career at Real Madrid, becoming the player with the most goals in the club's history.
- 2009–2010: 35 games, 33 goals
- 2010–2011: 54 games, 53 goals
- 2011–2012: 55 games, 60 goals
- 2012–2013: 55 games, 55 goals
- 2013–2014: 47 games, 51 goals
- 2014–2015: 54 games, 61 goals
- 2015–2016: 48 games, 51 goals
- 2016–2017: 46 games, 42 goals
- 2017–2018: 44 games, 44 goals
- Total at Real Madrid: 438 games, 450 goals
4. Juventus (2018–2021)
- 2018–2019: 43 games, 28 goals
- 2019–2020: 46 games, 37 goals
- 2020–2021: 44 games, 36 goals
- Juventus total: 134 games, 101 goals
5. Manchester United (2021–2022)
- 2021–2022: 39 games, 24 goals
- 2022–2023 (first half of the season): 16 games, 3 goals
- MU total (second spell): 55 games, 27 goals
6. Al-Nassr (2023–present)
As of November 2024:
- 2022–2023: 19 games, 14 goals
- 2023–2024 (active): 33 games, 36 goals
- Al-Nassr total: 52 games, 50 goals
7. Portugal national team (2003–present)
- Games: 208 (as of November 2024)
- Goals: 146 (world record for goals scored at international level)
Season total
- Games: ~1,223 games
- Goals: ~870 (club) + 146 (national) = 1,016 goals
Is Ronaldo the greatest goalscorer of all time?
There is no central database to determine the all-time leading scorer in men's football, but Ronaldo took the top spot in senior competitive matches when he passed 800 goals in his second spell with Manchester United.
Brazilian legends Pele and Romario both claim to have scored over 1,000 goals each, but if friendlies are excluded, the figure drops to around 700. Unofficial statistics from RSSSF say Pele scored 778 goals, while Romario scored 785. Ronaldo's long-time rival Lionel Messi has scored 867 career goals to date.
"I want 1,000" - Ronaldo still hasn't stopped
At 39 years old, Ronaldo knows his time on the pitch is limited, but the seasoned forward remains resolute in his pursuit of 1,000 career goals. In an interview on Rio Ferdinand's YouTube channel, Ronaldo expressed his confidence in achieving the milestone within the next few years, while speaking with his former Manchester United teammate.
"I want to reach 1,000 goals," he said.
"If I don't get injured, that's the most important thing for me. I want that."
"All the goals I score are on video."
Ronaldo could play until he's 40, and there has been a lot of speculation about whether he'll still be playing for Portugal at the 2026 World Cup. But he said that wasn't his top priority, adding, "Winning the Euros is the same as winning the World Cup. I've won two titles for Portugal that I really wanted."
"I'm not motivated by that. I'm motivated by enjoying football, and the records come naturally."
Conclusion
In this article, we have helped you better understand the total number of goals scored by Cristiano Ronaldo. With an illustrious career spanning more than two decades, Ronaldo has affirmed his position as a world football legend. From his first steps at Sporting Lisbon, through his maturity at Manchester United, his career peak at Real Madrid, to his new challenges at Juventus and continued journey to assert himself, Ronaldo has always proven to be a durable goal-scoring machine. Each goal not only demonstrates his extraordinary talent and effort but also inspires fans around the world. With his incredible scoring record, Ronaldo has not only become the perfect symbol of football but also left a lasting legacy of dedication and passion for the king of sports.
