Cristiano Ronaldo has an ever-growing list of astonishing records and accolades in his collection, but it is in the Champions League where he has shone the brightest.
The Portuguese star added two more remarkable European statistics to his name in Wednesday night’s dramatic 3-1 defeat against Juventus and took his goal tally in this season’s competition to 15.
After showing nerves of steel to dispatch a last-minute penalty and guide Real Madrid into the semi-finals, Sportsmail take a look at some of the most ridiculous records the 33-year-old holds in Europe’s biggest competition.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a dramatic 97th-minute penalty for Real Madrid against Juventus
More Champions League goals than Totti, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Villa, Suarez and Neymar combined
The big players deliver on the big occasions is how the saying goes. That seems to be the mantra Ronaldo has been living by.
The Portugal forward has made the Champions League his performing stage and the epicentre of his goal-scoring exploits.
Only does it become clear the sort of level Ronaldo has been operating on over the years when he is held up next to his counterparts.
Ronaldo now has 120 goals in Europe’s biggest competition for Manchester United and Madrid
Francesco Totti, Brazilian duo Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, David Villa, Luis Suarez and Neymar are all considered to be some of the best of their generation.
Yet, on the grandest stage in club football, even with joint pulling power, they are looking up at him.
Ronaldo’s penalty against Juventus was his 120th goal in the competition – the most of any player.
While Totti, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Villa, Suarez and Neymar have only managed 118 between them in 293 appearances.
Ronaldo’s scoring record in the competition is a lot better than some of the world’s best
The forward’s record is much better than that of Brazilian duo Ronaldinho (L) and Ronaldo (R)
He has more goals than Totti (L), Villa (R), Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Suarez and Neymar combined
| Player | Appearances | Goals scored |
|---|---|---|
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 150 | 120 |
| Neymar | 47 | 27 |
| Luis Suarez | 49 | 24 |
| Ronaldo | 42 | 16 |
| Ronaldinho | 47 | 18 |
| David Villa | 51 | 16 |
| Francesco Totti | 57 | 17 |
Ronaldo’s knack of scoring against Juventus
Juventus will be glad to see the back of Ronaldo.
Gianluigi Buffon admitted prior to this quarter-final he was unsure how they could stop the 33-year-old.
The answer; they couldn’t. Ronaldo has been haunting the Italian giants for seasons on end in Europe and again was at the heart of their demise.
The 33-year-old forward has now scored 10 Champions League goals against the Italian giants
He scored two goals in Turin in the first leg and dumped them out for good measure in heart-breaking fashion in the return fixture.
The three goals he scored over this tie took his goal tally against them to 10.
That is the highest number of goals scored by any player against a specific team in the Champions League.
150 appearances in the competition
Wednesday night’s match also saw Ronaldo make his 150th appearance in the competition.
He is only the third player to join that particular elite club.
Iker Casillas has played the most Champions League games on 167 and Xavi is someway behind on 151.
Only Iker Casillas (M) and Xavi have made more Champions League appearances than Ronaldo
Despite being 33-years-old now, Ronaldo is continuing to prove that age is just a number by still banging in goals at an extraordinary rate.
It seems he could play at the highest level for a while longer yet and with the possibility of at least three more games in this season’s competition, he may well overtake both of them and bag himself another European record before he hangs up his boots.
The forward was making his 150th appearance in the competition on Wednesday evening
11 and counting…
Ronaldo’s last-gasp penalty against the Italian champions saw him continue an amazing goalscoring streak in the competition.
Just when it looked as if this run was going to come to an abrupt halt, referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot in the dying moments and gave him a golden opportunity to extend it.
On a night of nerves, Ronaldo showed none and emphatically converted the spot kick to send Madrid through to the semis.
He has now found the back of the net in 11 straight Champions League games – the only player to ever do that – and you wouldn’t bet against him continuing the run in the next stage of the competition.
Ronaldo’s penalty against Juventus extended his scoring streak to 11 games in the competition