Cristiano Ronaldo has earned his reputation as one of the greatest footballers in European football history, in part doing so by stepping up for Portugal time and again in the European Championship.
The 39-year-old boasts all kinds of records in the club game, in the Champions League, for Real Madrid and Manchester United, but he’s no less lethal on the international stage.
We’ve identified six ridiculous Euros records held by Ronaldo, and identified a few more records he could break before the end of Euro 2024.
Top Goalscorer
Ronaldo is yet to open his account at Euro 2024, but at this point he’d only be extending his record further.
He opened his European Championship account over two decades ago, scoring as a teenager against a Greece side that famously went on to lift the trophy in Ronaldo’s home country.
He’s scored in every tournament since, taking his overall Euros tally to 14 goals – five more than the previous record-holder, the legendary Michel Platini.
Top Assister
Ronaldo set another new record by setting up Bruno Fernandes – when he could just as easily have scored himself – for the third goal in Portugal’s 3-0 victory over Turkey at Euro 2024.
He’s now up to eight assists at European Championships, which is an outright record.
“To have him, an out-and-out goal scorer, pass the ball for the assist. It was a pure moment of Portuguese football that should be shown in every academy in world football,” responded Portugal boss Roberto Martinez in the post-match press conference.
Top Appearance-Maker
Such is his remarkable longevity, fit and firing at every competition since 2004, Ronaldo holds the record for the most appearances in the competition.
During his time, Portugal have always made it into the knockout stages. They’ve reached the final twice, semis, quarters and Round of 16 once – and time will tell how far they make it in 2024, having secured their group’s top spot with a game to spare.
He’s made 27 appearances across his six European Championships, six more than long-serving Portugal team-mate Pepe.
Only player to play in six Euros
Long-serving team-mate Pepe is a couple of years older than Ronaldo, but he was still considered Brazil during Euro 2004 and didn’t switch his international allegiance until 2007.
That leaves Ronaldo as the only player to have played in each of the last six European Championships, and the only man in history to feature in six Euros full stop.
Luka Modric, Pepe, Iker Casillas and Rui Patricio are the only four players to have featured in five Euros.
That’s especially good going when you consider that Portugal had only qualified for three European Championships prior to his international debut.
Most wins
It’s no great surprise that Ronaldo has the most individual wins, given Portugal’s largely strong record over the course of his lengthy individual career.
Ronaldo has won 14, drawn seven and lost six of the 27 Euros matches that he’s featured in, totalling 2334 minutes, 166 minute per goal and 111 minutes per goal or assist.
Most tournaments scored in
Not including Euro 2024 – although he’s got time on his side to get on the scoresheet and extend his record further in Germany – Ronaldo has scored in every European Championship dating back to 2004. No other player has scored in five tournaments.
He scored against Greece and the Netherlands in 2004, the Czech Republic in 2008, the Netherlands and Czech Republic in 2012, Hungary and Wales in 2016 and Hungary, Germany and France and Euro 2020.
Records Ronaldo could still set
On Monday evening, Ronaldo’s old Real Madrid team-mate Luka Modric became the oldest goalscorer in Euros history – aged 38 years, 289 days – putting Croatia ahead against Italy 33 seconds after missing from the penalty spot.
Ronaldo could snatch that record if he notches in Germany. But he could also have the record taken out of reach if Pepe manages to score. Set pieces worth watching out for.
Source: PlanetFootball
