WAs the world’s eyes turn to North America for the World Cup, which is just a few months away, Cristiano Ronaldo is keenly aware that this is his last chance at the only trophy missing from his cabinet. Individual and collective honors are old news for him at this point, but hoisting the gold trophy in New York would be the ultimate mic drop.
Even US President Donald Trump, who may not be a tactical genius when it comes to ‘soccer’, has already hailed him as the greatest tactician of all time. Of course, that accolade feels like a flimsy campaign to lure Ronaldo to MLS this summer, potentially rekindling his rivalry with Lionel Messi or joining Inter Miami in an internet-breaking move.
Ronaldo scores 500 goals after turning 30
Ronaldo’s resume is already ridiculous: a Euro title, two Nations League trophies, five Champions League trophies and more goals than anyone in the history of the sport. However, even now that he is 41 years old, his desire to be behind the internet has not diminished in the slightest.
Ronaldo scored two goals in Al Nasr’s resounding 4-0 victory over Al Hazm Ras today, but it was his first attack that sent statisticians into a frenzy. With this goal, he officially reached 500 goals at the age of 30.
To put the sheer absurdity of this number into perspective, fewer than 30 players in the entire history of professional football have been able to score 500 goals in their entire career.
Ronaldo has only managed to do so as a “senior” national in the sport. It is a testament to his extraordinary evolution. He went from a flashy, step-over heavy winger to a cold-blooded, one-touch predator in the box. He essentially reinvented the wheel of what a striker could be in his fourth decade of life.
The road to 1,000: Can the World Cup cap soccer’s ultimate milestone?
The next record in front of us is more than just a number. That’s the ‘untouchable’ 1,000 goal mark. After today’s two matches, Ronaldo now has 964 career goals and is 36 goals shy of reaching the four-figure mark to cement another stratospheric achievement.
There is a difficult but legitimate path for him to reach this milestone during the World Cup. He definitely needs to shed a tear leading up to and during the tournament, which will be a tall order given his performance at the World Cup so far (seven goals in five tournaments).
Still, betting on him feels like a losing game. When he takes to the pitch this summer, Ronaldo will become the first player to appear in six World Cups. Ronaldo will share Lionel Messi’s status as an “alien” having played in six consecutive tournaments, but he was a key figure in the 2006 team when Messi was still finding his footing.
Whether he reaches 1,000 hits in a Portugal uniform or 1,000 hits in a club uniform later this year, we are witnessing a statistical anomaly that will likely never be repeated in our lifetimes.
