Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo on Wednesday (September 8) became the second male footballer and the first from Europe to score 100 international goals. The 35-year-old five-time Ballon d’Or winner achieved the feat in his 165th international match. Ronaldo scored his 100th goal after he netted a free-kick in the 45th minute against Sweden in UEFA Nations League. Ronaldo started his international career in 2003.

 Ronaldo = 100 goals for Portugal! 

Congratulations, @Cristiano! #NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/P5cvqswkNY

— UEFA Nations League (@EURO2020) September 8, 2020

Iranian striker Ali Daei is the only other footballer in the world to achieve this feat. Daei scored his 100th goal for Iran in his 165th match. It may be recalled that Ronaldo last scored an international goal in November 2019 against Luxembourg.

Ronaldo has scored 17 goals for Portugal in international friendlies. In his illustrious career for Portugal, he has scored seven goals vs Lithuania, six vs Sweden, five vs Andorra, Armenia, Latvia, and Luxembourg.

Ronaldo has scored six international hat tricks, and has scored seven goals in the FIFA World Cup stage and another nine at the UEFA Euros in his career.

The Juventus striker scored his first international goal at the UEFA Euro 2004 when he was just 19. Ronaldo took 16 years to race ahead of the tallies of greats like Eusebio and Pauleta to become Portugal’s all-time top goalscorer.

On July 20, Ronaldo had created history by becoming the first player to score 50 goals in the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A.