Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent achievement of scoring 900 career goals has earned him recognition from Guinness World Records. The global authority on record-breaking achievements subtly acknowledged Ronaldo’s legendary status by responding to social media posts with a GOAT emoji, underscoring his unparalleled impact on the sport.
This landmark goal came during Portugal’s UEFA Nations League opener against Croatia, where Ronaldo scored in the 34th minute by volleying a cross from Nuno Mendes. His 900th goal not only secured a 2-1 victory for Portugal but also cemented his legendary status across both international and club competitions.
Guinness World Records, a global record-keeping authority since 1955, highlighted Ronaldo’s milestone in a post on X, quoting BBC’s celebration of the record with the message: “900 career goals for Cristiano Ronaldo. Incredible. #BBCFootball.”
Social media reactions have been varied. User #ChessLordK remarked, “Even Guinness World Records knows the GOAT,” while #Famous_999_ speculated, “I can confirm you guys changed admin.” User #HertzBiT criticized the achievement with, “Rigged WC Merchants incoming,” and #kovacjosko pointed out, “Pele 5 World Cups before 900 career goals, Ronaldo’s zero World Cups.”
The debate over the record for career goals often includes comparisons with legendary players like Pelé. An Associated Press article from December 2022 recognized Pelé as a football icon and noted discrepancies in his goal count, with some sources claiming over 1,000 goals including friendlies, while FIFA’s official tally is lower. Despite these debates, Pelé’s profound impact on football and his legendary status remain uncontested.
Pelé himself claimed a record of 1,283 goals in 1,366 matches, though only official match goals are generally considered for comparative purposes. In contrast, Ronaldo has accumulated 900 goals in 1,236 games since 2001. Lionel Messi, Ronaldo’s closest rival, has netted 838 goals in 1,069 games, while Josef Bican and Romário also stand out with their impressive goal records.
These players represent the pinnacle of goal-scoring in football history, each contributing significantly to the sport’s rich legacy.
Written By; Christopher Emuakpeje