5 players with whom Cristiano Ronaldo has combined for most goals (clubs + country)
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo is this generation’s leading goalscorer. Having scored 803 goals in club and international football combined, the mercurial Portuguese lives by the phrase “scoring for fun.”
En route to his mind-boggling tally, the 36-year-old has had help from some of the best attack-minded players in the business. He has learned from them, celebrated with them, and has often even returned the favor.
Today, we will take a look at five players Ronaldo has enjoyed playing with the most.
Here are the five players with whom the Portuguese has combined for most goals across his clubs and country:
#5 Gonzalo Higuain - 32 goals
Before Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer from Manchester United in 2009, Gonzalo Higuain was Real Madrid’s star man in front of goal. The Argentine possessed impressive movement, rarely missed his mark, and was an absolute crowd favorite.
Ronaldo's arrival pulled the spotlight away from him, but that didn’t stop Higuain from combining effectively with the Portuguese ace.
Higuain and Ronaldo played together for four seasons in the Spanish capital, winning a league title, the Spanish Cup and the Super Cup together. After their time together in Madrid, the two forwards were reunited in Turin when Ronaldo joined Juventus in 2018.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner's arrival once again took a toll on the Argentine as he was offloaded to AC Milan on loan in the same transfer window.
Pree the difference between Higuain & Ronaldo 😭😭😭 https://t.co/Y4J5NhPcRe
The 34-year-old found his way back to Juventus in 2019, but he failed to keep pace with the Bianconeri’s number 7. Despite their “sketchy” history, the two combined quite a few times, registering a total of 32 goals during their spells together in Madrid and Turin.
#4 Marcelo - 33 goals
The relationship between a full-back and a winger is like no other. They are responsible for reading each other’s movements and taking the fight to the opposition defenders.
The bond between Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo is one of the most celebrated in football. Since being separated in 2018, neither has been able to replicate the same dynamic with any other player.
The pair combined countless times between 2009 and 2018, making life miserable for defenders. Blessed with the heart of an attacker, Marcelo used to whip in inviting crosses into the area, allowing the left-winger to strike.
The Portuguese skipper, too, returned the favor by making room for the Brazilian to venture into the box and get his shot away.
Marcelo visited Cristiano Ronaldo’s hotel.
Cristiano Ronaldo replied: ‘Thank you for visiting, you are at home.’ 🤍 https://t.co/F4b1U0oXPi
During their nine-year spell together at Real Madrid, the two wide players combined for 33 goals. Marcelo assisted the club’s record goalscorer 25 times in his career and was set up eight times in return.