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Cristiano Ronaldo scored the three goals in Manchester United’s victory against Tottenham (3-2) on Saturday March 12 in the English league. The 37-year-old Portuguese has scored 807 goals since the start of his career. It officially exceeds Josef Bican and his 805 achievements of the last century.
With only one goal scored in ten games since the start of 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo has not escaped certain criticism across the Channel in recent weeks. His absence in the last Premier League game against local rivals Manchester City, had also caused a lot of ink to flow. But the Manchester United striker’s response was scathing on Saturday.
Tottenham, the Mancunians’ opponent on this 29th day of the Premier League, had to surrender against the Portuguese. Spurs may have equalized twice, but the last word went to Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese opened the scoring with a superb strike (12th), restored the advantage to his close range (38th) and scored the winning goal for the Red Devils with a header (81st). A hat-trick for No. 7, and a well-deserved standing ovation from Old Trafford when he gave up his place in the final minutes.
Ronaldo at the top ahead of Bican and Pelé
Cristiano Ronaldo, who celebrated his 37th birthday on February 5, is always pushing the limits. A year ago, while wearing the colors of Juventus in Italy, he became the second top scorer in football history with 770 goals, in front of “ King ” Skin. This March 12, 2022, “CR7” becomes the one and only top scorer in history. It is he who sits at the top after almost 20 years of career.
The figures are still debatable, knowing that the Brazilians Pelé and Romario claim 1,283 and 1,000 goals respectively according to their own calculations (which are based on many unofficial matches). But according to the official Fifa tally, Cristiano Ronaldo is, after this hat-trick against Spurs, the best of the best. Here he is with 807 goals, two more than Josef Bican, a Czechoslovak striker who fought between 1931 and 1957.
Atlético de Madrid is warned
With 49 hat-tricks recorded in his entire club career (Sporting Portugal, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and therefore United again), “CR7” is also still writing his name in the history of the Premier League. Statistics firm Opta note that the Portuguese is the second oldest player to score three goals in a single game after Teddy Sheringham in 2003 (Ronaldo 37 years and 35 days, Sheringham 37 years and 146 days). . It is also his second Premier League hat-trick, more than 14 years after the first, in January 2008.
Widely acclaimed by football observers, the five-time Ballon d’Or preferred to highlight collective performance in his reaction on social networks. The striker, author of 18 goals this season in all competitions including 12 in the league, says to himself ” extremely happy after his first hat-trick since his return last summer. ” There are no limits for Manchester United! Whatever they say ! Go Devils! »
This return to form comes at just the right time for United. From Tuesday, Cristiano Ronaldo will be eagerly awaited for the knockout round of the Champions League against Atlético de Madrid. Author of six goals during the group stage, the Portuguese remained silent during the first leg in Spain (1-1). The return leg will perhaps be an opportunity to add one or more goals to his enormous total.
