Cristiano Ronaldo equals all-time Champions League goalscoring record

Cristiano Ronaldo (R) of Real Madrid celebrates with Luka Modric after scoring their team’s third goal during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final first leg match between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo equalled the 14-goal tally record in a single UEFA Champions League season, and now holds the record with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and retired AC Milan legend José Altafini.

His 14th goal came in the 57th minute against Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday as Real Madrid cruised to comfortable 3-0 victory in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final.

Ronaldo’s incredible performance in the group stage helped him score as many goals as he has already scored. He scored nine goals in total which is a record in itself as he took over the eight-goal group stage record previously held by Ruud van Nistelrooy (2004/05), Filippo Inzaghi and Hernan Crespo (both 2002/03) and Zlatan Ibrahimovi? (2013/2014). His hat-trick against Galatasaray AS, a brace against FC København, Juventus and Schalke are the highlights.

Interestingly, Lionel Messi’s 14 goals record-tally in the 2011-2012 season came from 11 appearances, three more compared to Ronaldo’s 8. Also, out of the 14 goals, four came from penalties and five in a single match against Bayer Leverkusen. Ronaldo, on the other hand, reached the tally with a single penalty.

What is more impressive is that Ronaldo averages a goal every 50.71 minutes currently, while Messi’s record-breaking 2011-12 average was a goal every 70.71 minutes.

With 64 goals in his UEFA Champions League career, Cristiano Ronaldo is the third time highest scorer in the tournament’s history, with only three goals behind second placed Lionel Messi (67 goals). Real Madrid legend Raúl González is still on top with his 71 goals.

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