Portugal ace Cristiano Ronaldo entered the record books yet again as he scored the header in Portugal’s 2-0 win against Wales in the Euro 2016 semi-final. Breaking records is a habit for the Real Madrid forward who has held several in his illustrious career both for club and country.
He is the all-time top scorer in UEFA Champions League and has featured in the UEFA Team of the Year for a record 10 times. The three-time Ballon d’Or winner has also featured in the UEFA EURO Team of the Tournament twice, in 2004 and 2012. We take a look at all the records Cristiano Ronaldo has broken or equalled in Euro 2016:
#1 Most number of goals scored in the European Championships
By netting a towering header in the 50th minute in the semi-final match against Wales, Cristiano Ronaldo equalled Michel Platini’s long-standing record of the maximum number of goals scored in European Championships.
Michel Platini had struck nine goals in just five games in the European Championships in 1984 and the record had stood since. A brilliant Guerreiro cross and a superhuman headed effort from himself was enough for him to equal the Frenchman’s record.
He now has the opportunity to surpass Platini’s record in the final.
"It's nice to break records but the most important thing was to reach the final, for the coaching staff and all my teammates," Ronaldo said after the match. "I have broken many records and I will continue to do so, but the important thing was we made it through to the final."
| Player | Goals scored | Matches played |
| Michel Platini (FRA) | 9 | 5 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo (POR) | 9 | 20 |
| Alan Shearer (ENG) | 7 | 9 |
| Ruud Van Nistelrooy (NED) | 6 | 8 |
| Patrick Kluivert (NED) | 6 | 9 |
#2 The first player to score in four different European Championships
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score in four different Euros after striking a double in Portugal’s 3-3 draw against Hungary in the group stages.
He made the score 2-2 by flicking a Joao Moutinho cross into the net and then equalising again to make it 3-3 via a thumping header.
The three-time Champions League winner has now netted in every Euro tournament since 2004. (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016)
The Portugal forward had scored the first goal for his country in a 2-1 group stage loss to Greece and had also scored in a winning cause in the semi-final against Netherlands 12 years ago.
In Euro 2008, he scored against the Czech Republic. In the 2012 edition, he netted two against Netherlands and one against the Czech Republic again in the final.
#3 Record number appearances by any player in the European Championships
Ronaldo made a record 17th appearance in Portugal colours against Hungary as he became the most capped player at the Euros. It was also his 800th cap for club and country combined.
As a result, he moved one game ahead of former France defender Lilian Thuram and legendary Netherlands goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar who stand at 16 games each at the Euros.
Thuram, who was an integral part of France’s World Cup and Euro winning squads in 1998 and 2000 missed an opportunity to become the most capped Euro player in 2008 where he warmed the bench in France’s 2-0 loss to Italy in the group stages. He retired from international football after France exited that year’s Euros.
The Netherlands goalkeeping great, Edwin van der Sar played in four European Championships and reached at least the quarter-finals in each one of them. He is capped 130 times for Netherlands.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who now, has played 132 times for Portugal also broke the record in the Euros for the most capped Portugal player ever, overtaking Luis Figo.
#4 The first player to reach three Euro semi-finals
With the win against Poland in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo now holds the record for being the only player to reach three Euro Semi-finals.
The Real Madrid forward reached the final in 2004 on home soil which ended in a shock 1-0 win for Greece, who were playing in only their second European Championships.
Portugal lost against Spain in the semi-finals of the 2012 Euros on penalties after the match ended in a 0-0 deadlock after extra-time.
Ronaldo will be playing in yet another final, 12 years after Portugal’s loss to underdogs Greece. It will be a night to remember for Ronaldo as he aims to go up again in the record books by winning his first major international title with Portugal.
