The Portuguese football icon netted his 700th club career goal
Ronaldo gave United victory against Everton. © James Gill / Danehouse / Getty Images
Cristiano Ronaldo now has 700 club career goals to his name after coming off the bench to help Manchester United seal a hard-earned 2-1 victory away at Everton on Sunday.
Goodison Park provided the setting of one of the 37-year-old’s biggest controversies in recent times when Ronaldo slapped a mobile phone out of an autistic fan’s hand after United lost 1-0 last season.
Though Ronaldo was again left out of the first XI by head coach Erik ten Hag on Sunday, he took home better memories from Everton on this occasion by reaching a landmark that puts him in a league of his own.
Latching on to a perfect through-ball from Casemiro when the Brazilian robbed it in midfield, Ronaldo charged towards the 18-yard box and coolly slotted past Jordan Pickford to make it 2-1.
Holding up seven fingers to celebrate his feat, Ronaldo has now scored 144 goals for United, 450 for Real Madrid, 101 for Juventus, and five for boyhood club Sporting Lisbon.
It just had to be Casemiro assisting Cristiano Ronaldo for No. 700 🤝 pic.twitter.com/CKVaYQv7Fs
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 9, 2022
The goal capped a comeback for United, who had got off to the worst possible start by going 1-0 down to the Toffees when Alex Iwobi struck on five minutes.
United winger Antony equalized ten minutes later with his third goal in six appearances since joining from Ajax in a €95 million ($92.4 million) deal last month.
Due to Anthony Martial picking up a back injury, Ronaldo entered the match earlier than expected around the half-hour mark and needed just a quarter of an hour to make an impact by putting United ahead on 44 minutes with what proved to be the winner.
Post-match, Ten Hag led the tributes to his forward.
“That is really impressive,” said the Dutchman.
“To score 700 goals is a huge performance. I’m really happy for him. I congratulate him on that performance and I’m also happy as it’s his first goal this season in the Premier League. He had to wait for it and I’m sure there will be more goals.”
700 – Cristiano Ronaldo has scored the 700th club goal of his career, 20 years and 2 days after his first goal.5 – Sporting CP118 – Man Utd (1st spell)450 – Real Madrid101 – Juventus26 – Man Utd (2nd spell)Icon. pic.twitter.com/cGKEjVdOLD
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 9, 2022
Everton manager Frank Lampard, who played against Ronaldo numerous times as a player for Chelse and England, called the achievement “outstanding” and the veteran “one of the greatest players to have graced the game and in an era when we have had him and Messi.”
“The comparisons between them doesn’t matter,” Lampard added. “They are both incredible players in football history. The numbers they have racked up are abnormal numbers that have become normal.
“When he was on 699, I wanted him to score in the Europa League the other night. But in the cold light of day you have to give him credit. It is amazing.”
Amid rumors that Ten Hag is open to selling Ronaldo in the January market after refusing to entertain his transfer request in the summer, the Dutchman thinks that Ronaldo’s confidence has suffered this term.
But after ending his drought, Ten Hag tipped things to look up for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
“Every player needs it, even when you are the best in the world,” Ten Hag said.
“I have worked with many goalscorers and they need goals in every season to have that feeling, to have confirmation of their intuition.
“Once they have some goals they come in a flow and games go easier. That will happen with him as well.”
