Clutch moments, iconic celebrations, and heaps of silverware are just some of the things one can associate with Cristiano Ronaldo. But perhaps the most pertinent of them all are goals. The Portuguese legend is known by most as a goal-scoring machine, no matter the positions he played in.
During his prime, Ronaldo was netting hattricks on a weekly basis while leading Real Madrid’s front line. His goals guided the Spanish giants to three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles and earned him 4 Ballon d’Or honors in the process. But of course, Real Madrid wasn’t the only club to benefit from the 38-year-old’s prolific scoring.
📅 OTD in 2009, Real Madrid signed Cristiano Ronaldo for a then world record fee of £80m!
During his 9-year spell, he amassed:
– 438 matches
– 450 goals
– 131 assists
– 4 Champions Leagues
– 4 Ballon d’Or winsOne of the greats of the game! 🐐pic.twitter.com/iTJHjZ12CF
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) July 1, 2023
Prior to playing for Madrid, Ronaldo donned the red of Manchester United, enjoying plenty of success with the Red Devils. However, his years at United had one major differentiating factor, as compared to his spells at Sporting, Madrid, Juventus, and Al-Nassr. Instead of being deployed as a striker, or as part of the front line, Ronaldo primarily played as a right-sided midfielder at Old Trafford.
In Sir Alex Ferguson’s preferred 4-4-2, Ronaldo played on the right and operated as a hybrid midfielder-winger. He was given the license to maraud forward, but with the additional responsibility of hugging the touchline, and helping out in defense when required.
When compared to his years at Real Madrid, the Portugal International had a slightly restricted role at United. But that didn’t get in the way of him winning the Golden Boot.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player to win the Golden Boot as a midfielder 🐐 pic.twitter.com/kia9mnzj3k
— kuna (@UtdKuna) November 5, 2022
It came during his iconic 2007-08 campaign when Ronaldo won the Premier League Golden Boot by scoring 31 goals. He also won the very first Ballon d’Or of his collection during that year, alongside the PFA Player of the Year honor. Ronaldo’s heroics up front helped Manchester United win an illustrious treble.
By winning the Golden Boot that year, Cristiano Ronaldo effectively cemented his status as the only midfielder to win the honor. The feat hasn’t been replicated since, despite the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Bruno Fernandes coming close in recent years. Elsewhere, however, midfielders have picked up awards for their goal-scoring prowess.
Another midfielder who won the Golden Boot
One of the most prominent names to replicate the feat is a former Galactico like Ronaldo himself – the Brazilian magician Kaka. The former AC Milan star primarily played as an advanced midfielder, operating in the No 8 slot and drifting in between opposition lines. Besides providing assists, Kaka also had a knack for scoring goals.
Top scorer that season? The brilliant @KAKA (10) #UCL pic.twitter.com/56mrwldiH4
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 24, 2015
The prolific side of his game properly came forward during the 2006–07 UCL campaign, wherein he netted 10 goals in just 13 matches. Kaka also leads AC Milan to UCL glory in the process.