Cristiano Ronaldo receives message from Georgina Rodriguez after making football history in Portugal win

Cristiano Ronaldo Georgina Rodriguez

Cristiano Ronaldo has been celebrated by girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez after scoring his 900th goal in Portugal's Nations League win over Croatia

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Jack Otway

By Jack Otway


Published: 06/09/2024

- 08:29

The Al-Nassr star scored his 900th career goal on Thursday

Georgina Rodriguez has reacted after Cristiano Ronaldo made football history by scoring his 900th goal in Portugal's 2-1 Nations League win over Croatia on Thursday night.

The veteran became the first player to reach the milestone, with the Al-Nassr netting his side's second goal after an opener from Diogo Dalot.


Ronaldo's goalscoring glut first started 20 years ago when he was strutting his stuff for Sporting Lisbon.

Though not the same player that won silverware aplenty with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus earlier in his career, he's still going strong at the age of 39.

Cristiano Ronaldo Georgina Rodriguez

Cristiano Ronaldo has been celebrated by girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez after scoring his 900th goal in Portugal's Nations League win over Croatia

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Many have been left in awe by his latest achievement.

And girlfriend Georgina has reacted on social media, with the 30-year-old sharing a picture of the striker on Instagram and saying: "900 Golazos."

Ronaldo was criticised after recently struggling at the European Championships as Portugal crashed out in the quarter-finals of the competition.

He remains deadly when given half a chance, however, and Ronaldo showed his quality with his goal as Roberto Martinez's side claimed all three points.

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Cristiano Ronaldo Georgina Rodriguez

Cristiano Ronaldo has impressed girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez after bagging his 900th career goal in Portugal's win over Croatia

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Ronaldo scored five goals for Sporting at the start of his career before moving to United in 2003.

He had big boots to fill following the departure of David Beckham, having inherited the winger's No 7 shirt.

Yet Ronaldo would end up leaving for Real Madrid six years later as a United icon, having plundered 118 goals from 292 appearances - with the club winning three league titles and the Champions League during that time.

Over in Spain, the forward was unstoppable.

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Though often going up against Lionel Messi, he notched a stunning 450 goals from 438 appearances for Los Blancos.

Real won LaLiga twice during his nine years in Madrid, with Ronaldo also firing the club to four Champions League triumphs.

The Portugal international netted 101 goals during a three-year stint at Juventus before returning to United in 2021.

He added to his legacy at Old Trafford with a further 27 goals and has since proceeded to score 68 times for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

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His goal for Portugal against Croatia was his 131st for his country.

And ESPN pundit Shaka Hislop has lavished praise on Ronaldo while also backing his decision to keep playing for Portugal, despite approaching the twilight stages of his career.

“First of all, let me say I applaud Cristiano Ronaldo for staying on [with the national team]," he said.

“While all of us have certainly criticised his performances and questioned whether he should be a part of the Portugal squad, retirement is a very personal decision. He’s the only one who can take it.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first footballer to score 900 career goals after bagging for Portugal in their Nations League win over Croatia

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“We can comment on it, but I have no problem with him saying that he wants to continue. I think the challenge comes, as we’ve been discussing earlier with the likes of Ronaldo and Messi, and where it’s so different from any other player probably in the last two or three generations, is just their standing. Their impact in the game.

“Now Ronaldo being who he is, being all that he represents to Portuguese football, if he’s not contributing at a high enough level, but still refuses to step away from the squad, I don’t think Roberto Martinez is in no position to say, ‘I’m not picking you’. That’s the issue here.

“I just don’t think he’s that manager, I don’t think he has the standing in football, let alone Portuguese football, to say, ‘Cristiano, thank you very much but I’m not picking you in the squad’.

“As a result, Ronaldo will be the one making that decision."

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