Cristiano Ronaldo added yet another historic milestone to his glittering career as he netted the winning goal in Portugal’s 2-1 Nations League semi-final victory over Germany in Munich, breaking a long-standing personal hoodoo against the European giants.
The 40-year-old forward’s strike not only propelled Portugal into Sunday’s final against either France or Spain but also marked his 137th international goal in 220 appearances—a world record for men’s football.
It was also his 937th career goal across all competitions, further cementing his place in the pantheon of football greats. Remarkably, until Wednesday night, Ronaldo had never tasted victory against Germany at international level.
In five previous encounters, he had been on the losing side every time. Portugal’s last win over Germany came at Euro 2000—before Ronaldo had even made his international debut. Now, with this sixth meeting ending in triumph, that streak has been broken.
The goal also slightly improves his modest scoring record against Die Mannschaft. Prior to this match, he had only managed one goal across five games and 450 minutes against them. His tally now stands at two goals in 540 minutes—still far from his best ratio, but a step forward nonetheless.
Ironically, Ronaldo has enjoyed far more prolific form against German clubs in the UEFA Champions League, scoring 28 times in 26 appearances, highlighting the contrast between his club and international fortunes versus German opposition.
Since turning 30, Ronaldo has netted an astonishing 85 goals for Portugal—more than all but five male players in the history of international football.
To put that in perspective, his post-30 international output exceeds the entire career totals of legends like Pelé, Ferenc Puskás, Diego Maradona, and even contemporary stars such as Neymar and Harry Kane.
Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez praised Ronaldo’s enduring dedication, saying: “It’s difficult to put into words. He takes each day as an opportunity to get better. As a human, when you have success, you wake up and have less hunger. But not Cristiano.”
Midfielder Bernardo Silva added: “It’s his ambition to keep going. It’s never easy—to still be hungry to go every day. He’s been doing this for more than 20 years. It’s tough, but he’s here with us and we’re happy he scored again.”
Looking ahead, Ronaldo’s club future remains uncertain. Having spent the last two-and-a-half years with Saudi club Al-Nassr, his contract expired this summer. A cryptic social media post hinted at a possible departure: “This chapter is over. The story? Still being written.”
There had been speculation linking him with Brazilian side Botafogo and a potential appearance in this summer’s expanded FIFA Club World Cup. However, recent reports suggest he is now likely to sign a contract extension with Al-Nassr, potentially keeping him at the club until the age of 42.
As for the question of whether he can reach the mythical 1,000-goal mark, Ronaldo currently sits 63 goals shy. If he maintains his current scoring rate—35 goals in the most recent season—he could reach that legendary figure in under two years.
One thing is certain: Cristiano Ronaldo’s story is far from over.