With Real Madrid 1-0 down in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at Bayern Munich, Cristiano Ronaldo demonstrated exactly why he’s viewed as one of the best players to have ever graced a football pitch.
The 32-year-old forward’s brace secured a potentially vital 2-1 win for Zinedine Zidane’s men, and also carried CR7 to a world-first.
1?0?0? UEFA club goals for @Cristiano Ronaldo! ??????#UCL pic.twitter.com/NZEqpC116x
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 12, 2017
100 – Cristiano Ronaldo has now scored his 100th goal in UEFA club competition. Centurion.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 12, 2017
Ronaldo's goal was his 100th in European competition ???? pic.twitter.com/3W7OyTxbHv
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) April 12, 2017
Yes, the former Manchester United youngster is the first man to reach 100 goals in European club competition, with 97 in the Champions League, two in the Super Cup, and one in Champions League qualifying.Lionel Messi is close behind on 97 – the next best is Raul, with 76… that’s quite a gap between the top two and the rest.He had to wait a little while before reaching a century however – Ron’s first goal of the night ended a seven-month CL goal drought, having last scored against Borussia Dortmund in September 2016.And the truth is that Ronaldo didn’t start off in mercurial fashion.
True story: Towards the end of the first half I was toying with tweeting "Ronaldo has been the worst player on the pitch". And now this!
— Jack Pitt-Brooke (@JackPittBrooke) April 12, 2017
But a touch of Ronaldo genius is always just around the corner to remind us just how great an athlete and footballer he really is.
My man @Cristiano once again…. Goal number 100 ???? #Ronaldo
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) April 12, 2017
Neither Luis Suarez, nor Lewandowski, Higuain, Mbappe, Benzema or even Kane. Cristiano Ronaldo is the best centre forward in the world
— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) April 12, 2017
Ronaldo really is an extraordinary goal-scoring machine.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) April 12, 2017
He’s a legend of the game alright…
FT 1-2. Ronaldo further buttresses his legend. A huge result in Zidane's nascent managerial career. Ruthless second half from Real.
— James Gheerbrant (@JamesGheerbrant) April 12, 2017
That sound you can hear from literally anywhere in Europe is the lad from Onda Cero radio next to me shouting "RONALDO CENTENARIO" on repeat
— Jack Pitt-Brooke (@JackPittBrooke) April 12, 2017
… and he’s just four games away from a fourth Champions League title as well.