Sports

Ronaldo At 38: Why Many Consider Him The GOAT

Published

1 year ago

February 5, 2023

Editor

Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest footballers of all time, celebrated his 38th birthday on February 5, 2023. Over the past two decades, the Portuguese forward has established himself as one of the most successful and influential players in the history of the sport.

Ronaldo’s record-breaking exploits have earned him numerous individual awards, including five Ballon d’Or trophies and four European Golden Shoe awards. Ronaldo also won numerous titles with his club teams, including two English Premier League titles with Manchester United, four Champions League titles with Real Madrid, and two Serie A titles with Juventus.

One of the most impressive aspects of Ronaldo’s game is his goal-scoring ability. He is the all-time leading scorer for Real Madrid, the UEFA Champions League, and the Portuguese national team, Mandy News reports.

Ronaldo is also the only player to have scored over 100 goals in the Champions League, and holds the record for the most hat-tricks in the competition.

Ronaldo’s impact on the sport extends beyond his impressive statistics. He has inspired countless young players around the world with his work ethic and dedication to the sport. His incredible athleticism, dribbling skills, and finishing ability have set the standard for modern footballers.

Another key aspect of Ronaldo’s success is his versatility. He is equally effective playing on either wing or as a central striker, and has consistently shown his ability to adapt to new challenges and systems. He has been a key player for some of the greatest club teams in recent history, including Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus.

Ronaldo’s longevity is also a testament to his exceptional talent and dedication to his craft. Despite reaching the age of 38, he continues to perform at a high level, scoring goals and helping his team win games. He remains one of the most feared forwards in the world and continues to inspire fans and players alike.

Apart from Lionel Messi, many fans also refer to Ronaldo as the Greatest Of All Time.

Mandy News lists 38 reasons why Ronaldo is ‘best’:

1. Five-time Ballon d’Or winner
2. Four European Golden Shoe awards
3. All-time leading scorer for Real Madrid and the UEFA Champions League
4. Most goals scored in a single season for Real Madrid and the UEFA Champions League
5. Most goals scored in European international competitions
6. Only player to score more than 100 goals in the UEFA Champions League
7. Only player to score in every single Champions League game in a single season
8. Most hat-tricks in the UEFA Champions League
9. Only player to score a hat-trick in three different Champions League seasons
10. Most goals scored in the UEFA European Championship
11. Most goals scored in the UEFA Nations League
12. Most goals scored in a single European international tournament
13. Most goals scored for the Portuguese national team
14. Only player to score in three European international tournaments
15. Most goals scored in international club competitions
16. Most goals scored in a calendar year for club and country combined
17. Most goals scored in a calendar year for a top European club
18. Most goals scored in a calendar year for a national team
19. Most goals scored in a single club season in Europe’s top five leagues
20. Most goals scored in a single club season in Spain’s La Liga
21. Most goals scored in a single club season in Italy’s Serie A
22. Most hat-tricks in Spain’s La Liga
23. Most hat-tricks in Italy’s Serie A
24. Most goals scored in a single match in Spain’s La Liga
25. Most goals scored in a single match in Italy’s Serie A
26. Most goals scored in a single match for Real Madrid
27. Most goals scored in a single match for Manchester United
28. Most goals scored in a single match for Juventus
29. Most goals scored in a single match for the Portuguese national team
30. Most goals scored in a single calendar year for Real Madrid
31. Most goals scored in a single calendar year for Manchester United
32. Most goals scored in a single calendar year for Juventus
33. Most goals scored in a single calendar year for the Portuguese national team
34. Most goals scored in the Spanish Super Cup
35. Most goals scored in the Italian Super Cup
36. Most goals scored in the UEFA Super Cup
37. Most goals scored in the Club World Cup
38. Most goals scored in the international club tournaments combined.
PUNCH

Sports

Super Eagles Stars, Calvin Bassey And Alex Iwobi Caught On Camera Shopping Together In London

Published

2 days ago

May 1, 2024

Editor

Super Eagles stars, Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi were spotted shopping together at a store in London.

The Nigerian internationals play for Fulham FC in the Premier League.

Sports

10 Facts About New Super Eagles Coach, Finidi George

Published

4 days ago

April 29, 2024

Editor

The Nigeria Football Federation on Monday announced the appointment of former Super Eagles winger Finidi George as the new head coach of the nation’s senior men’s national team.

The announcement came in a statement, with the NFF Board approving the recommendation of its Technical and Development Committee to hand over the reins to the 52-year-old former Ajax Amsterdam and Real Betis forward.

The new Super Eagles boss’s immediate task will be to guide the team to victory in two crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and the Benin Republic in Uyo and Abidjan, respectively, within the next five weeks.

However, takes a look at 10 things about Finidi George as compiled by The PUNCH.

1.⁠ ⁠Finidi George was born on April 15, 1971, in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

2.⁠ ⁠⁠He played as a right winger and was known for his pace, accurate crosses, efficient dribbling, and free-kick abilities. He played for three clubs in Nigeria including Calabar Rovers and Sharks of Port Harcourt.

3.⁠ ⁠⁠George had a successful club career with Ajax, winning 8 major titles including the 1995 Champions League.

4.⁠ ⁠⁠He also played for Real Betis in Spain, nearly joining Real Madrid before that move fell through.

5.⁠ ⁠⁠George spent one season with Mallorca and then joined Ipswich Town in the Premier League for £3.1 million in 2002.

6.⁠ ⁠⁠He made his international debut for Nigeria in 1991 and earned 62 caps, appearing at the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.

7.⁠ ⁠⁠George won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria and helped them reach the round of 16 at the 1994 World Cup.

8.⁠ ⁠⁠At the 1994 World Cup, he scored against Greece and celebrated with a famous ‘urinating dog’ celebration.

9.⁠ ⁠⁠He has 11 brothers, two of whom (Igeniwari and Celestine) were also professional footballers.

10.⁠ ⁠⁠In September 2021, George was appointed head coach of Nigerian club Enyimba F.C. and won the Nigeria Premier League with them in June 2023.

Sports

JUST IN: Finidi George Appointed New Super Eagles Head Coach

Published

4 days ago

April 29, 2024

Editor

The Nigeria Football Federation has appointed former Super Eagles winger Finidi George as the new head coach of the nation’s senior men’s national team.

The announcement came in a statement on Monday, with the NFF Board approving the recommendation of its Technical and Development Committee to hand over the reins to the 52-year-old former Ajax Amsterdam and Real Betis forward.

Finidi George, who spent 20 months as an assistant to the outgoing José Santos Peseiro, had been serving as the interim coach after the Portuguese tactician’s departure following the Super Eagles’ impressive run to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

During his interim tenure, George oversaw two friendly matches in Morocco last month, where the team ended an 18-year winless streak against Ghana with a 2-1 victory before suffering a 0-2 loss to Mali.

“George, a member of the so-styled ‘Golden Generation’ that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Tunisia and emerged as the second most entertaining team in Nigeria’s debut at the FIFA World Cup finals in USA the same year, won 62 caps for Nigeria, including featuring at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup finals,” the NFF statement read.

Reflecting on his illustrious playing career, the statement highlighted George’s achievements, which include “gold, silver and bronze medals from the 1992, 1994, 2000 and 2002 AFCON tournaments.”

One of George’s most memorable moments came when he “assisted Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory) to score Nigeria’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal against Bulgaria in Dallas, USA on 19th June 1994,” the statement noted.

The NFF statement emphasised that “the matches are must-win encounters, with the Super Eagles lagging behind in third place in Group C of the African campaign behind Rwanda and South Africa.”