In his post-match interview, he stated that he had always felt he would ‘reach this number’.
Ronaldo has become the first male player to reach 900 goals in official club and country matches.
It came in the 34th minute at Lisbon’s Stadium of Light, and the goal was Portugal’s second of the game, sealing the three points in a fantastic clash against Croatia, where Ronaldo met fellow Real Madrid icon Luka Modric.
“It means a lot,” Ronaldo said. “It was a milestone I wanted to reach for a long time. I knew I would reach this number because as I continue to play, it would happen naturally.”
Ronaldo, who is now 39 years old, was visibly emotional in his celebration, sinking to his knees with his hands on his head.
It marked his 131st international goal, further solidifying his place as Portugal’s all-time top scorer.
“It was emotional because it’s a milestone,” he explained.
“It seems like any other milestone, but only I know, and the people around me, how hard it is to work every day, to be physically and psychologically fit, to score 900 goals. It’s a unique milestone in my career.”