Cristiano Ronaldo’s first goal against Arsenal was the 800th of his amazing senior career.
Manchester United’s no.7 tucked home Marcus Rashford’s cross at the start of the second half to bring up the landmark figure.
He is clear of Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi in the overall list and continues to do the business at the highest level.
Indeed, he swiftly moved on to 801 with the penalty that took all three points from the 3-2 win over the Gunners.
Some 115 of Ronaldo’s strikes have come at international level for Portugal.
Since starting with Sporting in Lisbon, he now has 483 league goals to his name and 12 for the Reds in all competitions since returning to Old Trafford earlier this season.
In total, he now has 130 for United, five for Sporting, 450 for Real Madrid and 101 for Juventus to go with those 115 in Portugal’s colours.
There have been 140 headers, including the famously brave one against Roma and the recent winner against Atalanta, and 142 penalties. Ronaldo fired home 17 penalties and 14 free-kicks in his first spell with us, and some of his most memorable efforts have come from dead balls. The striker’s first spot-kick of his second spell came when Fred was fouled on Thursday night.
The right-footed strikes means he has 510 from that source and 149 with his left. Hence, Cristiano scores most of his goals with his favoured right foot, but he’s always been gifted with both. He scored a savage long-distance left-footer against Portsmouth in the 2005/06 season, for example, which won our Goal of the Season award that year.
There was also one with his midriff, a bizarre effort against West Ham in 2008 but they all count.
Though Ronny has become famous for scoring hat-tricks in his career – with a remarkable 58 across his whole career and 10 in international football alone – he still has just the one for United.
In December 2008, he scored three in a 6-0 demolition of Newcastle United at Old Trafford. Hopefully that will change in the next season or two, now he’s back in M16 and perhaps explains why he looked a little dejected when he was withdrawn in the closing stages against the Gunners, as he was hunting another one!
Via manutd.com
