Cristiano Ronaldo Loses Prestigious UEFA Record Shared with only Two Legends, Falcao and Benzema
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of football’s most illustrious figures, has seen a significant UEFA record slip from his grasp.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, renowned for his prolific career at clubs such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, is celebrated for his remarkable achievements and over 760 career goals.
However, on Wednesday night (May 29, 2024), Ronaldo lost a notable UEFA record he held alongside Radamel Falcao and former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema. During the UEFA Europa Conference League final in Athens, Olympiacos triumphed over Fiorentina with a late goal from Ayoub El Kaabi, securing a 1-0 victory.
El Kaabi’s goal marked his 11th in the knockout stages of the competition, surpassing the record for most goals scored in a single UEFA club competition knockout stage since the group stages were introduced. This record was previously shared by Ronaldo, Falcao, and Benzema.
Ronaldo had achieved 10 goals during the 2017 Champions League, a tournament Real Madrid won by defeating Juventus 4-1 in the final at the Millennium Stadium. Benzema matched this feat in the 2022 Champions League, while Falcao set the same record in the 2011 Europa League.
Ronaldo continues to make headlines.
Earlier this week, he broke a record in his first full season with Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr. Scoring twice in Al Nassr’s 4-2 victory over Al Ittihad in the Saudi Professional League, Ronaldo set a new benchmark for the most goals in a single season with 35 goals in 31 league matches. The previous record was held by Moroccan striker Abderrazak Hamdallah, also with Al Nassr.
Reflecting on his achievement, Ronaldo remarked, “I don’t follow the records, the records follow me.”
