Ronaldo scores 700th career goal in Euro 2020 qualifier against Ukraine

Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 700th goal of his professional career during Portugal’s Euro 2020 qualifying loss to Ukraine on Monday.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner brought up his septuple century for club and country when he converted a second-half penalty in Kiev, awarded after Taras Stepanenko handled the ball inside the box.

It was his 95th goal for Portugal, with only Iran’s Ali Daei (109) ahead of him on the all-time international goals list.

Ronaldo is just one of six footballers to have hit the 700 mark, with Josef Bican estimated to be the top goalscorer in history with 805 goals.

Behind him is a pair of former Brazilian stars in Romario and Pele, who finished their illustrious careers with 772 goals and 767 goals, respectively.

Ferenc Puskas’ 746 career finishes and Gerd Muller’s 735 round out the top five.

Ronaldo’s long-time rival, Lionel Messi, looks set to join the 700 club in the future, as the Argentine is currently sitting on 672. career finishes.

The bulk of Ronaldo’s goals came for Real Madrid – 450 over the course of nine seasons at the Santiago Bernabeu between 2009 and 2018.

The 34-year-old has continued to be a prolific operator at Juventus, scoring 32 times for the Bianconeri – including 24 in their triumphant Serie A campaign last season.

Ronaldo only scored five times for boyhood club Sporting CP before earning a move to Manchester United in 2003, where 118 strikes helped to make him a hero at Old Trafford.

He has 10 goals so far in 2019-20, with some way to go before getting close to the most prolific season of his career. In 2011-12, when Madrid unseated Barcelona as La Liga champions, Ronaldo scored a scarcely believable 69 goals overall.

Ukraine went on to spoil the day for Ronaldo and Portugal, winning 2-1 to guarantee a place at Euro 2020.

They currently sit atop their qualifying group, through seven games, with Portugal and Serbia in a tight race in second and third.

With the international break now concluded, Ronaldo is set to return to Juventus for a match against Bologna this weekend before turning focus towards the Champions League and a match against Lokomotiv Moscow.