Real Madrid's 73-game scoring streak in detail
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Article summary
Real Madrid's failure to find the net on Wednesday means they missed the chance to best the achievement of Pelé's Santos in scoring in consecutive games – we look at their run.
Article top media content
Article body
Not only was Wednesday's 1-0 loss to Real Betis the first defeat Real Madrid have suffered this season – it was also the first time they have failed to score in a match in nearly 17 months.
Having been held 0-0 at Manchester City in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final on 24 April 2016, Madrid won 1-0 at Real Sociedad six days later with a Gareth Bale goal and had not drawn a blank since until being shocked by Betis.
On Sunday – also against Real Sociedad – they had equalled a famous run by Pelé's Santos in the early 1960s of scoring in 73 consecutive games. On Wednesday, though, they failed to overtake it.
We look at the key numbers and memorable moments from their prolific streak, which ultimately yielded seven trophies.
- The numbers
P73 W54 D14 L5 F200 A81
- Competitions
Liga 45 games (121 goals), UEFA Champions League 16 (41), Copa del Rey 6 (22), FIFA Club World Cup 2 (6), UEFA Super Cup 2 (5), Spanish Super Cup 2 (5)
- Trophies won
Liga (1), Spanish Super Cup (1), UEFA Champions League (2), UEFA Super Cup (2), FIFA Club World Cup (1)
- Goals scored v opponents
Deportivo La Coruña 14, Sevilla 14, Cultural Leonesa 13, Real Sociedad 10, Atlético Madrid 9, Celta Vigo 9, Granada 9, Barcelona 8, Legia Warszawa 8, Osasuna 8, Real Betis 8, Valencia 8, Alavés 7, Leganés 7, Bayern München 6, Napoli 6, Eibar 5, Las Palmas 5, Sporting Gijón 5, Athletic Club 4, Borussia Dortmund 4, Espanyol 4, Juvemtus 4, Kashima Antlers 4, Málaga 4, Sporting CP 4, Villarreal 4, APOEL 3, Club América 2, Manchester United 2, Levante 1, Manchester City 1
- Top scorers
Cristiano Ronaldo 49
Karim Benzema 21
Alvaro Morata 20
Marco Asensio 14
Gareth Bale, Isco, Sergio Ramos 12
- Previous records
European: Bayern München 61 (2012–2014)
Spanish: Barcelona 44 (1942–1944)
THE KEY MOMENTS
The first: Gareth Bale 1-0 (final score 1-0) v Real Sociedad (a), 30 April 2016
Needing a victory to keep the pressure on their title rivals, Madrid travelled to the Basque Country without Ronaldo and Benzema. For 80 frustrating minutes they met stubborn resistance from Eusebio Sacristán's side before Bale leapt highest to secure the three points with ten minutes remaining.
The final: Sergio Ramos 1-0 (final score 1-1) v Atlético Madrid (in Milan), 28 May 2016
A second UEFA Champions League final between the Madrid neighbours in three years could only mean one thing: that man Ramos getting on the scoresheet. He poked in from close range after Bale's flick-on to give the Merengues a 15th-minute lead. They of course went on to win the trophy on penalties after Yannick Carrasco had equalised for Atlético.
El Clásico: Sergio Ramos 1-1 (final score 1-1) v Barcelona (a), 3 December 2016
Madrid arguably did not score a later, more dramatic goal during this run. With the Blancos trailing to a Luis Suárez strike at arch-rivals Barcelona, all appeared lost until Ramos thumped home a header three minutes into added time to level matters and send the Camp Nou faithful home disgruntled – keeping Madrid ahead in the championship reckoning.
The history makers: Cristiano Ronaldo 1-0 (final score 4-1) v Juventus (in Cardiff), 3 June 2017
Fresh from having made history by becoming the first player to hit 100 goals in the UEFA Champions League, Ronaldo once again stole the headlines as Zinédine Zidane's side became the first team to retain the trophy in its current format. The star forward notched twice, including sweeping in the opener in the first half from a lethal counterattack.