Cristiano Ronaldo's record-breaking EURO
Sunday, July 10, 2016
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After experiencing both heartbreak and joy in the final, Cristiano Ronaldo ended UEFA EURO 2016 having increased his remarkable impact on UEFA European Championship history.
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He may have been taken off early in the final due to injury, but Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo added several new landmarks to an already illustrious career during his time in France.
Playing in his fourth UEFA European Championship, the 31-year-old was finally able to lift the Henri Delaunay Cup in the wake of his side's 1-0 extra-time success against the hosts at the Stade de France. It was another memorable moment for the Real Madrid forward, who has been leaving a lasting impression on the tournament since taking his first steps as a 19-year-old at UEFA EURO 2004.
EURO2016.com looks back at his various exploits, from a fresh set of milestones at UEFA EURO 2016 to that summer of surprises in Portugal 12 years ago.
- All the action, reaction and analysis as it happened
- France forward Antoine Griezmann wins Golden Boot
Highest EURO finals scorer
Level with a clutch of players on six goals before UEFA EURO 2016, Ronaldo climbed up the table and equalled all-time leader Michel Platini with his header against Wales.
9: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Michel Platini (France)
7: Alan Shearer (England)
6: Ruud van Nistelrooy (Netherlands), Patrick Kluivert (Netherlands), Wayne Rooney (England), Thierry Henry (France), Nuno Gomes (Portugal), Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden), Antoine Griezmann (France)
Does Ronaldo make your Team of 2016?
Most EURO finals appearances
Ronaldo travelled to France having contested 14 games at the finals already, and soon enough he eclipsed Dutch goalkeeping great Edwin van der Sar and former France defender Lilian Thuram's record with his 17th outing – in the 3-3 Group F draw with Hungary on matchday three. A starter in the final against France, he has now set the bar at 21 EURO appearances.
21: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
18: Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany)
17: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)
16: Lilian Thuram (France), Edwin van der Sar (Netherlands), Cesc Fàbregas (Spain), Andrés Iniesta (Spain)
15: Sergio Ramos (Spain), David Silva (Spain)
Most appearances for Portugal
Although he missed a penalty during Portugal's matchday two stalemate with Austria, the former Sporting CP and Manchester United tyro broke new ground in that game, nudging ahead of Luís Figo as Portugal's most-capped player on 128 matches. "When he's at his best, he's unstoppable," says the man he surpassed, with Ronaldo now pulling clear.
133: Cristiano Ronaldo (2003–)
127: Luís Figo (1991–2006)
110: Fernando Couto (1990–2004)
103: Nani (2006–)
94: Rui Costa (1993–2004)
First player to score in four EURO final tournaments
Ronaldo began UEFA EURO 2016 as one of seven players to have scored in three separate UEFA European Championships – and in a race with Zlatan Ibrahimović to become the first to register in a fourth. He had to wait until his third fixture in France to do it, but with his Swedish rival unable to find the net, Ronaldo made the record his own with a superb double against Hungary. When he got another in the semi-final with Wales, he became the first player to amass three goals at different EUROs.
Ronaldo's EURO goals
2004 v Greece (1), Netherlands (1)
2008 v Czech Republic (1)
2012 v Netherlands (2), Czech Republic (1)
2016 v Hungary (2), Wales (1)
All-time leading EURO goalscorer (qualifiers included)
The Portugal talisman also leads Ibrahimović in the overall UEFA European Championship goalscoring chart, with his nine finals strikes combining with another 20 notched during qualifying – five of which came on the road to France – to make 29.
29: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
25: Zlatan Ibrahimović (Sweden)
23: Robbie Keane (Republic of Ireland)
22: Hakan Şükür (Turkey), Jon Dahl Tomasson (Denmark)
21: Jan Koller (Czech Republic)
On the other hand, Ronaldo also lost two records during the tournament ...
Youngest player to appear in a final
Sunday's final was Ronaldo's second at this level, after he made history during his first showpiece at UEFA EURO 2004. That game ended in a heartbreaking loss to Greece, but the Madeira native left his mark by becoming the youngest player to grace a EURO final at 19 years of age and 150 days – a record that endured until Renato Sanches started against France in Saint-Denis aged 18 years and 328 days.
Portugal's youngest player at a major finals
Ronaldo also become Portugal's youngest player at a major tournament during EURO 2004, scoring in a 2-1 loss to Greece in Portugal's tournament opener aged 19 years and 128 days. That feat was likewise bettered by Renato Sanches on matchday one here, the midfielder figuring as a substitute at 18 years and 301 days as Portugal drew 1-1 with Iceland.
Major records held by Cristiano Ronaldo:
(all figures updated since UEFA EURO 2016 up to end of 2016)
National team
- Most EURO finals appearances: 21
- Most EURO finals goals: 9 (level with Michel Platini)
- Most EURO final tournaments scored in: 4
- Only player to score three goals in multiple EUROs
- Most EURO goals including qualifying: 29
- Most Portugal caps: 136
- Most Portugal goals: 68
Club
- Most UEFA club competition goals: 98
- Most UEFA Champions League goals: 95
- Most goals in a UEFA Champions League season: 17 (2013/14)
- Joint most goals in FIFA Club World Cups: 5
- Most Real Madrid goals: 380
- Most ESM Golden Shoe awards: 4 (2007/08, 2010/11, 2013/14, 2014/15)
- Most appearances in UEFA.com users' Team of the Year: 10 (2004, 2007–2015)
Top scorers in all UEFA competitions (men's/women's/club/national team/youth/futsal/amateur)
1 Cristiano Ronaldo 132
2 Raúl González 106
3 Lionel Messi 96 (next non-European is Didier Drogba on 50)
4= Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 90
4= Andriy Shevchenko 90
6 Filippo Inzaghi 86
7= Margrét Lára Vidarsdóttir 84
7= Zlatan Ibrahimović 84
9 Thierry Henry 81
10= Gerd Müller 77
10= Ruud van Nistelrooy 77