Cristiano Ronaldo is showing no sign of slowing down when it comes to plundering goals in a Portugal shirt, with international football’s record goalscorer adding more to his total with a brace against Slovakia this week.
Ronaldo has now scored an astonishing 125 goals in 202 appearances for Portugal, each individual records that will be near impossible to beat.
The 38-year-old’s double against Slovakia booked Portugal’s place at next summer’s European Championship, where the forward will look to compete in the tournament for a record-extending sixth time.
Ronaldo’s latest goals also saw him reach 73 international goals since turning 30! That haul is more than some of the game’s greats managed across their entire international careers.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s international longevity is crazy 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Hx1tkX3qI3
— GOAL (@goal) October 14, 2023
Five iconic international goalscorers Cristiano Ronaldo has outscored since turning 30:
Olivier Giroud – France (54)
Olivier Giroud became France’s all-time record goalscorer after scoring the opener against Poland at the 2022 World Cup, eclipsing the previous record (51) of Thierry Henry.
Giroud has often been an under appreciated presence at club level, but has been a key figure in France’s modern success and formed part of the team that won the 2018 World Cup in Russia, before reaching a second final in Qatar last winter.
The 37-year-old is another who, like Ronaldo, remains involved internationally late in his career, for a French team who will be aiming for European Championship success next summer.
Giroud’s record for Les Bleus is already under threat however, with Kylian Mbappe – still just 24 – up to 42 goals for France and counting.
Harry Kane – England (59)
Harry Kane broke Wayne Rooney’s record as England’s leading goalscorer in March, after firing home a penalty during the Three Lions’ 2-1 win in Italy in Euro 2024 qualification.
Kane has now scored 59 goals in 89 appearances for England, including a six-goal haul that earned the striker the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup.
David Villa – Spain (59)
David Villa was the cutting edge of a Spain team who enjoyed an unprecedented run of international dominance, as La Roja claimed three consecutive major tournaments between 2008 and 2012.
Villa won the Golden Boot as Spain won Euro 2008 to lift a first major tournament since 1964, before another vital contributions at the 2010 World Cup, where he scored five of Spain’s eight goals.
The forward cruelly missed the Euro 2012 success through injury, but retired as Spain’s greatest goalscorer with 59 goals from 98 caps. A record-breaking return, but less than half the total Ronaldo has managed for Spain’s Iberian neighbours.
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Sweden (62)
Sweden’s record scorer, Zlatan Ibrahimovic smashed home 62 goals for the Scandinavians across an international career that spanned more than two decades.
His goal return included that four-goal haul in a friendly win over England to mark the opening of the Friends Arena in Stockholm, and an outrageous back-heeled effort that was crowned the best goal at the 2004 European Championship.
🇸🇪 Zlatan Ibrahimović 🤩#OTD at EURO 2004, the Swedish star scored 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 goal in Sweden’s 1-1 draw with Italy!
⏪ @svenskfotboll | @Ibra_official pic.twitter.com/Ut9W3Tyazv
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 18, 2020
Ibrahimovic might have matched Ronaldo in competing at the highest level well past the norm, but his international goal record pales in comparison.
Five of the best: Zlatan Ibrahimovic goals
Miroslav Klose – Germany (71)
Miroslav Klose might be the leading scorer in World Cup history, but even he trails Ronaldo’s international record by more than 50 (fifty!) goals.
Klose was one of those rare footballers whose international exploits exceeded his club career, announcing his arrival on the world stage with five goals at the 2002 World Cup.
He won the Golden Boot at the 2006 edition on home soil (5), before adding another six goals across the following two tournaments to overtake Brazil’s Ronaldo as the World Cup’s leading scorer.
When Miroslav Klose became the all-time leading goalscorer at the #WorldCup 🇩🇪#TBT | @DFB_Team_EN pic.twitter.com/ogCoRtCBcP
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 5, 2019
That fourth tournament saw Germany crowned world champions, the highlight of an international career that saw Klose score 71 goals to overhaul Gerd Muller as Germany’s greatest goalscorer.
Read – The all-time top international goalscorers as Ronaldo increases record tally
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