Cristiano Ronaldo makes history by scoring in third final
Saturday, June 3, 2017
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Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first player to score in three UEFA Champions League finals with his 20th-minute goal for Real Madrid against Juventus in Cardiff.
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Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first player to score in three UEFA Champions League finals following his strike in the 20th minute of Real Madrid's 4-1 win against Juventus in Cardiff.
The Portugal forward's made history with that opener and then his second ensured he overtook Lionel Messi as this season's competition top scorer on 12, and took his UEFA Champions League-record career tally to 105. Ronaldo had previously scored a late penalty for Madrid when they beat Atlético 4-1 after extra time in Lisbon three years ago and also registered in Manchester United's 1-1 draw with Chelsea in Moscow in 2008, though he missed in the shoot-out win. Sergio Ramos also scored in the 2014 final and repeated the trick last year.
Raúl González had been the first player to find the net in two UEFA Champions League finals, for Real Madrid in 2000 and 2002, with Samuel Eto'o matching him in Barcelona's victories in 2006 and 2009. Messi, meanwhile, struck against Manchester United both in Rome in 2009 and at Wembley in 2011.
In European Cup terms, Alfredo Di Stéfano remains out in front having played and scored in the competition's first five finals, all won by Madrid. He was the only player to have notched in more than two finals before Ronaldo's strike in Cardiff. Di Stéfano and his Madrid team-mate Ferenc Puskás also share the European Cup record of seven final goals apiece.
Before tonight, only Ronaldo and Velibor Vasović of Partizan and Ajax had scored in finals for two different clubs. Mario Mandžukić – on target for Bayern against Dortmund at Wembley in 2013 and again in Cardiff – emulated that achievement tonight.
Scoring in two or more European Cup finals
Alfredo Di Stefano (Real Madrid 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960)
José Héctor Rial (Real Madrid 1956, 1958)
Francisco Gento (Real Madrid 1957, 1958)
Ferenc Puskás (Real Madrid 1960, 1962)
Mário Coluna (Benfica 1961, 1962)
José Aguas (Benfica 1961, 1962)
Eusébio (Benfica 1962, 1963)
Sandro Mazzola (Internazione Milano 1964, 1967)
Velibor Vasović (Partizan 1966, Ajax 1969)
Tommy Gemmell (Celtic 1967, 1970)
Gerd Müller (Bayern München 1974, 1975)
Franz Roth (Bayern München 1975, 1976)
Phil Neal (Liverpool 1977, 1984)
Raúl González (Real Madrid 2000, 2002)
Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona 2006, 2009)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona 2009, 2011)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United 2008, Real Madrid 2014, 2017)
Mario Mandžukić (Bayern München 2013, Juventus 2017)
Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid 2014, 2016)