"I have already won two titles with the national team" - Cristiano Ronaldo explains why he doesn't need to win the World Cup with Portugal
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has said that he doesn't need to win the FIFA World Cup with his country, as he has already won silverware. The 39-year-old said so by registering a landmark strike in the 2-1 win over Croatia in Lisbon in their UEFA Nations League opener.
Ronaldo became the first player to score 900 career goals for club and country when he netted A Selecao's second goal against the 2018 FIFA World Cup finalists. Although Diogo Dalot - who had scored the opener - put one past his own net, Roberto Martinez's side held on for the win.
The Al-Nassr superstar has had success at the Euros - reaching two finals - winning in 2016, but FIFA World Cup success has eluded him, with his best run being a semi-final appearance in 2006, losing 1-0 to eventual finalists France.
However, Ronaldo reckons his national team career doesn't feel incomplete without World Cup glory, as he has also won the Nations League (2019) with the team. He said (as per The CR7 Timeline):
“I don't need to win the World Cup. Winning the Euro with my country is like winning the World Cup. I have already won two titles with the national team.”
Coming back to the Croatia game, it was a record-extending 131st strike for Ronaldo in international football, 22 clear of any other player.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo's 900 career goals by the numbers
Cristiano Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the game's most prolific goalscorers and one of the best ever to step their foot onto a football field.
During his illustrious career spanning more than two decades, Cristiano Ronaldo has now scored exactly 900 times for club and country. He has netted for some of the top teams in the game over the years, so let's have a look:
Ronaldo scored his first career goal in October 2002 for Sporting CP in a 3-0 win over Moreirense. Having scored five times for them, he moved to Manchester United, where he managed 145 strikes across two stints, with his first stint between 2003 and 2009 yielding 118 goals.
The Portugal icon enjoyed the most prolific scoring spell of his career during his nine-season stay at Real Madrid between 2009 and 2018, netting a record 450 times to emerge as their record goalscorer.
Ronaldo also scored 101 times in three seasons at Juventus between 2018 and 2021 and has netted 68 times for his current side Al-Nassr.