Cristiano Ronaldo has reached another incredible career landmark, by scoring his 700th club goal against Everton on Sunday evening.
The Portuguese icon fired home in the 44th minute at Goodison Park, to put the Reds 2-1 up.
This was his second goal of the season following a penalty against Sheriff Tiraspol in Moldova last month.
The 37-year-old found himself on the bench yet again in the Premier League, with Anthony Martial getting the nod up top.
Manchester United soon found themselves behind after Alex Iwobi handed an early lead to Everton just 5 minutes into the match.
United soon levelled things as Antony slotted home.
Martial who had difficulty during the warm-up, had to go off with an injury on the half hour mark, leaving the door open for Ronaldo.
He made the most of his opportunity and struck his first ever goal at Goodison Park from Casemiro’s gorgeous defence-splitting pass.
This was a welcome respite for Ronaldo who had been under fire so far this season.
Creating history
According to FIFA records, only Austrian-Czech hotshot Josef Bican has scored more than Ronaldo’s 700 club goals.
Bican lost his all-time career goals record to Ronaldo earlier this year, with Cristiano’s haul for Portugal pushing him up beyond 800 when club and international tallies are combined.
The strike against Everton means the 37-year-old has now netted 144 goals in total for Manchester United, in 340 appearances across his two spells for the club.
Of course, the bulk of his goals arrived in a Real Madrid shirt as, over a nine-year period, he sensationally averaged over one per game – 450 in 438 matches.
Cristiano also managed a century of efforts for Juventus, with 101, while his first five club goals were for Sporting in his native Portugal.
Goodison Park witnessed Cristiano’s 103rd Premier League goal, which beats his Serie A (81) and Primeira Liga (3) tallies but trails far behind the final number he managed in Spain’s La Liga – a crazy 311 in just nine seasons!
Famously, Ronaldo is the all-time leading Champions League scorer, after 140 goals in Europe’s top-tier competition.
His recent strike in Moldova was his first-ever in the Europa League.
His achievement earned the admiration of his manager.
“That is really impressive when you score 700 goals, a huge performance,” said United manager Erik ten Hag.
“I am really happy for him and congratulate him for that. I am also really happy it is his first goal of the season in the Premier League. I am sure more goals will come for him.”
“It is tough still counting goals for Ronaldo because every week seems like a new record,” fellow Portugal international Bruno Fernandes said.
“I am really happy because he has been working hard to get this goal. Today he got the goal and the win and that is the most important for him, that the team won.”
Congratulations to the goal machine!
