Cristiano Ronaldo: his next scoring targets at 36
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
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Can Cristiano Ronaldo keep breaking European records now he has turned 36?
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Cristiano Ronaldo has turned 36: that means a chance to break more UEFA Champions League records as one of the top 36+ scorers in the history of the competition.
The Juventus and Portugal forward's first challenge is to become the 46th player aged over 36 to score in the UEFA Champions League (including qualifying) since the competition was introduced in 1992/93.
Top 36+ UEFA Champions League scorers (including qualifying)
4: Pavel Horváth (Plzeň)
4: Filippo Inzaghi (AC Milan)
4: Rainer Rauffmann (Omonia)
3: Laurent Blanc (Manchester United)
Ronaldo's 36th year proved to be another record-breaking one, as he overtook Didier Drogba's record (five) to become the top 35+ scorer of the UEFA Champions League era with six goals.
Competition brings out the best in Ronaldo, so his next target should be to challenge the 35+ tallies of two pre-UEFA Champions League Real Madrid greats. Alfredo Di Stéfano hit 13 European Cup goals after turning 35 (and six after turning 36), while Ferenc Puskás got to 17 in just 18 games after his 35th birthday (including 13 goals after he turned 36).
In the UEFA Europa League, Aritz Aduriz set the bar high for 35+ strikers with 22 goals after he reached 35 on 11 February 2016 (including 12 after he turned 36).
Credit too to Plzeň's Pavel Horváth, who scored nine goals in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League combined after his 36th birthday.
Top 36+ UEFA Europa League scorers (including qualifying)
12: Aritz Aduriz (Athletic Club)
9: Markus Rosenberg (Malmö)
5: Pavel Horváth (Plzeň)