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Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Juventus is not one many would have predicted at the start of the window. There was a huge section of fans who believed Real Madrid would at least be Ronaldo’s last club in Europe but that isn’t the case.
The 33-year-old leaves the Spanish capital after spending nine years with the Los Blancos but in those nine years, he has left a legacy behind.
In nine years, Ronaldo played 438 games in the all-white of Real Madrid and broke numerous records. It is really hard to keep track of the records he has broken and the milestones he has achieved.
However, no matter what happens and no matter who plays for Real Madrid in the future, there are several Real Madrid records set by the Portuguese international that will never be broken. You can bet your house on these.
Also read: 5 records and milestones Cristiano Ronaldo can achieve in his first season with Juventus
#5 Most goals in a single Champions League season - 17
Before the 2011/12 season, the record for the most number of goals in a Champions League season was held by José Altafini who set the record by scoring 14 goals in 1962/63 while playing for Milan. In 2011/12, Lionel Messi equalled that record.
Messi was able to share that record with Altafini for only two years as Cristiano Ronaldo scored 17 goals in the 2013/14 season en route to winning the La Decima.
In the process of setting a new Champions League record, Ronaldo also bettered the Real Madrid record set by Ferenc Puskás who scored 12 goals in 1959/60. Ronaldo also matched Puskas’ tally in 2012/13 and again in 2016/17.
Ronaldo didn’t better his tally from the 2013/14 season but he scored 16 goals in the 2015/16 season and 15 goals in the 2017/18 season to take the top 3 spots in the all-time record.
In the current format of the Champions League, a team can play a maximum of 13 games but because it is the Champions League, it is next to impossible to break Ronaldo’s record of 17 goals.
#4 Most goals in a season in all competitions - 61
The 2014/15 season was Ronaldo’s most prolific season in terms of goal scored. In all competitions, he racked up 61 goals which are the most number of goals any Real Madrid player has scored in a season.
In the history of the game, only three players in Europe’s Top 5 leagues have scored more goals in a season. Dixie Dean with 63 goals in 1927/28 for Everton, Gerd Muller with 67 goals for Bayern Munich in 1972/73 and Lionel Messi with 73 goals in 2011/12 for Barcelona.
Interestingly, the player with the 2nd and 3rd highest number of goals for Real Madrid in a season is also Ronaldo. He scored 60 goals in 2011/12 and 55 goals in 2012/13.
This record also applies to La Liga. Ronaldo’s 48 goals (35 games) in 2014/15 is the second highest ever in a La Liga season behind Messi’s 50 goals (37 games) in 2011/12. Interestingly, in 2011/12, Ronaldo scored 46 goals.
After Ronaldo, the Real Madrid player with most goals in a La Liga season is Hugo Sanchez who scored 38 goals in 35 games back in 1989/90.
#3 Most hat-tricks in all competitions - 44
During his time with Real Madrid, Ronaldo scored a mind-boggling 44 hat-tricks in all competitions. Even though Ronaldo has played in the La Liga in fewer seasons than Lionel Messi, his record 34 hat-tricks in La Liga is four more than the Argentine’s tally.
This alone should make one realise how incredibly difficult it will be to break Ronaldo’s record.
In addition to the 34 hat-tricks in La Liga, he has also scored seven hat-tricks in the Champions League (all for Real Madrid) which is currently the joint-most by any player tied with Messi. Only three of his 44 hat-tricks for Madrid have come in other competitions.
On an average, at Real Madrid, Ronaldo has scored almost five hat-tricks per season.
To give you an idea of how incredible this feat is, here is a breakdown of the hat-tricks scored by Real Madrid players in La Liga and the Champions League.
In the Champions League, 7/11 hat-tricks scored by Real Madrid players belongs to Ronaldo!
In the La Liga, he scored 34/190 hat-tricks by Real Madrid players which is nearly 18%. The remaining 156 hat-tricks for Real Madrid were scored by 59 different players and out of those 59, Alfredo di Stefano scored 22 hat-tricks which put him in second place behind Ronaldo.
I have run out of superlatives to define Ronaldo already.
#2 Most Ballon d’Or awards won while playing for Real Madrid - 4
The Ballon d’Or is arguably the most prestigious individual award in football and a total of ten awards were won by players who were representing Real Madrid.
These ten Ballon d’Or awards were won by six players of which Cristiano Ronaldo and Alfredo Di Stefano are the only ones to win the award more than once.
Raymond Kopa, Luis Figo, Ronaldo Nazario and Fabio Cannavaro won the Ballon d’Or once each while representing Los Blancos. Di Stefano won it two times and the remaining four were won by Ronaldo.
Messi and Ronaldo are the only two players to win the award more than three times in history, let alone with one club. This alone tells you that Ronaldo’s record of four Ballon d’Or awards with Real Madrid is unlikely to be broken.
#1 Most goals for Real Madrid - 450
All the previously mentioned goalscoring records in Ronaldo’s name boils down to this.
Before Ronaldo joined Real Madrid, Raul held the record for most goals by a player for the club. He had 316 goals to his name at that point and extended it to 323 in his last season with the club. It is worth noting that it took him 741 games to reach that figure.
In just nine seasons and 438 games, Ronaldo has annihilated the previous record by scoring 450 goals. This means on an average, Ronaldo scores at least one goal in every game.
In the league, Ronaldo scored 311 goals in 292 games and his tally is better than Raul in second place by 83 goals. In Europe, the difference is even more astonishing as Ronaldo has scored 105 goals in 101 games which is 39 goals more than anyone else has managed for the Madrid club.
Among the active players, Karim Benzema is placed 7th in the all-time leading goal scorers charts with 193 goals and he joined Real Madrid in the same season as Ronaldo.
If any of Ronaldo’s above-mentioned records are to be broken, then it will take the second coming of Lionel Messi in a Real Madrid kit.
