Cristiano Ronaldo has finally ticked off another item from his illustrious footballing bucket list — defeating Germany.
The 40-year-old striker scored the winning goal in Portugal’s Nations League semi-final in Munich, ending a personal five-match losing streak against the Germans and boosting his all-time scoring record to 937 goals. It was his 137th international goal in 220 appearances — all current men’s world records.
Until now, Germany had been his worst-performing opponent at international level. In five previous meetings, Ronaldo had never won, scoring just once. But now it’s one win in six, and two goals in total against them.
That unwanted title now passes to England — the nation Ronaldo has played three times without a win, all draws. Still, Portugal progressed on penalties in two of those clashes (Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup), softening the blow.
France remains the team he’s lost to most often, with four defeats. However, Portugal’s historic Euro 2016 triumph over Les Bleus remains a career highlight for Ronaldo.
Despite the tough German record, Ronaldo has historically thrived against German clubs, scoring 28 goals in 26 UEFA Champions League matches.
Ageless Legend
Since turning 30, Ronaldo has scored 85 international goals — a figure greater than the entire career totals of legends like Pelé, Puskás, Maradona, and even current stars like Neymar and Harry Kane.
“He treats every day as a chance to improve,” said Portugal manager Roberto Martínez. “Most lose hunger after success — not Cristiano.”
Midfielder Bernardo Silva echoed the sentiment: “He’s still here, still hungry, more than 20 years on. We’re just happy he’s scoring again.”
What’s Next?
Portugal now await the Nations League final this Sunday, where they’ll face either France or Spain, who meet Thursday in Stuttgart.
As for Ronaldo’s club future, it remains unclear. His contract with Saudi side Al-Nassr ends this summer. After their final game, he posted:
“This chapter is over. The story? Still being written.”
That sparked speculation about his departure. Rumors linked him to Brazilian club Botafogo, especially with FIFA President Gianni Infantino hinting at Ronaldo’s potential participation in the Club World Cup — which Al-Nassr failed to qualify for.
However, reports now suggest he’s close to signing an extension that would keep him at Al-Nassr until age 42.
The Road to 1,000 Goals
With 937 goals, Ronaldo is now just 63 goals away from becoming the first official 1,000-goal scorer in football history.
While Pele and Romário claimed to reach that milestone, many of their goals came in unofficial matches and are not formally recognized.
Ronaldo scored 35 goals last season alone. If he maintains that pace, he could reach 1,000 within two years — rewriting yet another chapter in football history.
