Portugal boss Roberto Martinez sees Cristiano Ronaldo's "incredible" achievement of 900 career goals as an "inspiration for football".

Ronaldo netted his landmark goal on Thursday, scoring Portugal's winner in a 2-1 Nations League victory over Croatia.

The 39-year-old was already the leading goalscorer in the history of the game.

And Martinez feels nobody can put a limit on what Ronaldo is still able to achieve.

"I don't think scoring 900 goals is easy. It's a historic achievement, incredible, an inspiration for football," Martinez said ahead of Portugal's clash with Scotland.

"I don't think anyone can say that Cristiano can't do something. It's incredible what he's achieving, what he's doing in football.

"For us, the goal is collective. That he helps the national team."

Scotland lost 3-2 at home to Poland in their Nations League opener, but Martinez is expecting a fierce test on Sunday.

"Our players know the intensity of British football. Scotland have that. A lot of intensity, fast attacks, experience. We know the difference, but Scotland are objective, vertical, but have the quality to keep the ball," Martinez said.

"The last two games have shown that they want to win. They've lost their last few games after the 90th minute, they're objective, they've got top-class players. They're experienced and talented.

"It's not just a British team, a physical team, but a team with lots of skills and the game will be very competitive. We've prepared for that."

Harry Kane is drawing inspiration from the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as he prepares to lead England into a new era.

Kane has captained England to two European Championship finals only to finish on the losing side on both occasions, versus Italy in a penalty shoot-out at Euro 2020 and against Spain earlier this year.

The Bayern Munich striker failed to hit top form at Euro 2024 in Germany and was substituted early in both the final and in a 2-1 semi-final victory over the Netherlands.

Kane scored twice from open play at the tournament – in a group-stage draw with Denmark and an extra-time victory over Slovakia in the last 16 – but was criticised for a series of lethargic displays. 

However, the 31-year-old remains committed to the Three Lions as they enter the post-Gareth Southgate era and hopes to continue representing his country for many more years.

"It's tough whenever you get so close to reaching one of the pinnacles of your career and it's taken away," Kane told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It makes me even more motivated. It puts the fire in the belly to try and get there. Our task is to get better.

"I think when you look at players like Ronaldo, [Luka] Modric and Messi, all these players who are playing in their mid to late 30s, that's the inspiration for me because it shows that you can really play at a high level for a long time.

"I want to play football for as long as possible and at the highest level for as long as possible. I use those players for motivation and inspiration to be able to do that.

"I feel I am in a really good place both mentally and physically to have another great season, hopefully that continues for many years to come."

England face the Republic of Ireland in their first game since Southgate's departure on Saturday, with former under-21 boss Lee Carsley in interim charge.

Kane admits it was strange to return to the Three Lions camp without their long-serving former boss, under whom he netted 61 goals, the most ever scored by any England player under a single manager. 

"It felt a little bit strange when we first came into camp," Kane said. "The boss has his own ideas and identity. 

"We did a lot of good things with Gareth but ultimately the new coach has fresh ideas. It's been good. There are a lot of young players excited to be here and express themselves."

Cristiano Ronaldo's 900th career goal sealed a 2-1 win for Portugal over Croatia in the Nations League, with Roberto Martinez hailing the "historic moment".

The 39-year-old scored the landmark goal in the 34th minute, and it eventually proved to be the winner; Diogo Dalot opened the scoring but then handed Croatia a lifeline with an own goal just before the break.

Ronaldo's close-range strike was his 131st for Portugal in 213 appearances, with both of those records for any male player on the international stage.

Martinez showed his faith by keeping Ronaldo in his squad despite an underwhelming Euro 2024 campaign in which he failed to score and was delighted to see the forward hit his latest milestone.

"It's a historic moment. 900 goals is incredible," Martinez said.

"It's not easy. He scores because he has a commitment to the national team, the work in training that no one can see, he has an energy to help the youngsters, and the commitment is an asset to the national team.

"It's a historic moment, the fans liked it, and being on the day of the tribute to Pepe is special. It's fantastic for Portuguese football, the World Cup and the national team."

Midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who also played with Ronaldo during his return to Manchester United, echoed his head coach's praise for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.

"I thought we had already stopped counting," Fernandes joked. "At least we've stopped counting, he hasn't.

"He likes to tell them, and I believe it's a very special number for him, and we are all very happy for him too because it's not just Cristiano.

"In addition to being Cristiano, he raises the name of our nation to the highest level as he has done all these years, and this is another record, another normality in his life."

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated his 900th career goal, but the Portugal captain claimed he is "haunted" by records.

Ronaldo scored his landmark goal in the 34th minute of Thursday's Nations League contest between Portugal and Croatia in Lisbon.

The 39-year-old's close-range finish, his 131st goal for Portugal, was enough to secure a 2-1 win for Roberto Martinez's team, who went ahead through Diogo Dalot, although the full-back then scored an own goal that dragged Croatia back into proceedings.

Ronaldo was taken off late on to a standing ovation, and speaking to Portuguese media, he said: "It was an exciting goal for me. It's a round number.

"Only I know how hard it is to work every day to score your 900th goal.

"It's a unique milestone in my career. I don't break records… they haunt me!"

Ronaldo let the emotions out after scoring, and seemed to be in tears of joy while celebrating.

"As you know, I'm already 39 and a half years old and so you have to be very focused for things to go well," he explained. "To be at this level requires a lot of dedication.

"So, when these little records happen, small, big, I get emotional because I know and value what I do, and my teammates, because obviously without my team-mates this would be unthinkable."

Ronaldo endured a difficult Euro 2024 campaign, failing to score from 24 shots, including a penalty that was saved by Jan Oblak.

Portugal eventually crashed out to France on penalties, and Ronaldo stressed the importance of getting off to a good start, and complimented Martinez's change in approach.

"After what happened in the European Championship, we had to give a good response and that's what happened," he said.

"We played well. Croatia fought really well and I think it was a spectacular game.

"I felt freer than usual in this game. The coach also gave me that opportunity and we also played, in my opinion, a little differently to how we played in the European Championship.

"We made a lot of changes, the players were freer on the pitch and when that happens, it's better for me, I'll be honest.

"I feel better, I feel more involved in the game and I can enjoy football more. It's not that I didn't enjoy it at the Euros, but I like being a free player, I like to make space for my team-mates too and today was a performance that the team performed very well."

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 900th career goal as Portugal edged Croatia 2-1 in Thursday's Nations League clash at Estadio da Luz.

Ronaldo's 34th-minute goal proved the winner, as the Portugal captain turned in Nuno Mendes' cross for his milestone goal.

Roberto Martinez's side led inside seven minutes through Diogo Dalot, and 39-year-old Ronaldo forced a brilliant reflex save out of Dominik Livakovic 15 minutes later.

Livakovic was helpless to prevent Ronaldo putting Portugal ahead, though Dalot's own goal four minutes before half-time set up an exciting second period in the League A Group 1 contest.

Yet despite shading the expected goals (xG) value in the second half, with 0.44 to Portugal's 0.36, Croatia found no way through, with Ronaldo going off to a standing ovation when he was substituted late on.

Portugal, the 2019 Nations League winners, will remain in Lisbon to welcome Scotland on Sunday while Zlatko Dalic's Croatia side will look to bounce back against Poland in Osijek on the second matchday. 

Data Debrief: Nine hundred not out 

Ronaldo was already the top scorer in the history of the game, and international football's record goalscorer added another to his remarkable tally to hit the 900 mark.

It was his 131st for his country, on a night he had a joint team-high four shots, along with Bruno Fernandes.

The rest of his goals have been split across his clubs: 450 for Real Madrid, 145 for Manchester United, 131 at Juventus, 68 for Al-Nassr, and five when he played for Sporting CP at the start of his career.

Another match, another landmark for Cristiano Ronaldo.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner insisted he still has more to offer at the international level this week, and he brought up 900 career goals by netting in Portugal's Nations League Nations League opener versus Croatia.

It was a typical poacher's finish that brought up Ronaldo's latest landmark, the forward beating his marker to Nuno Mendes' left-wing cross to sidefoot home and put Portugal 2-0 up inside the first half.

Never one to rest on his laurels, Ronaldo will now surely be targeting the big 1,000, though Pele's FIFA-recognised figure of 1,281 goals will surely prove beyond the 39-year-old.

As Ronaldo plots a route to four figures, we dive into the Opta data to look at how he reached his current total, highlighting the most interesting facts and figures.

Ronaldo's 900th career goal was also his 131st in 213 appearances for Portugal, with both of those figures being all-time records both for the Selecao and for any male player on the international stage.

The ultimate goal poacher, he has scored 109 of those from inside the penalty area, though only 20 have come from the penalty spot – he memorably missed his last spot-kick for the Selecao, versus Slovenia in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.

Ronaldo struggled at this year's tournament in Germany, where he had 23 shots but failed to find the net – the first time he has not scored at a major international competition. Only fellow Portugal great Deco has ever had more efforts at a single edition of the Euros without scoring, firing off 24 shots without success at the 2004 tournament.

However, Ronaldo does boast 22 goals at the World Cup/Euros for Portugal overall, winning the Golden Boot with five strikes at Euro 2020, five years on from captaining the Selecao to their maiden trophy. Only two of those, though, have come in knockout matches – versus the Netherlands at Euro 2004 and Wales at Euro 2016.

Still, Ronaldo's international legacy speaks for itself, and his achievements on the club stage are even more impressive.

Ronaldo scored five times for boyhood club Sporting CP before leaving for Manchester United, for whom he plundered 145 goals across two separate spells.

He has broken three figures with all but two of his clubs, netting 101 times for Juventus and being well on the way to doing so with Al-Nassr, for whom he has 68 goals. 

It was at Real Madrid, however, where Ronaldo earned his goal machine tag, scoring exactly half his career goals (450) for Los Blancos and helping them win the Champions League four times.

He is the leading goalscorer in Madrid's illustrious history, some 96 clear of former team-mate Karim Benzema (354), who represented the club 648 times, compared to Ronaldo's 438 appearances.

Overall, Ronaldo has scored 573 of his goals with his favoured right foot, with 173 coming via his left and almost as many – 152 – coming via headers, with his aerial prowess becoming increasingly notable throughout his career.  

What about dead balls? Ronaldo has converted 164 penalties for club and country, including a spot-kick in the 2014 Champions League final versus Atletico Madrid.

Ronaldo's free-kick taking has been an area targeted by those looking to do down on his achievements at times, but he has scored 64 direct free-kick goals throughout his career, the latest coming in a 4-1 win over Al-Fayha in the Saudi Pro League before the turn of the month.

Where, then, do Ronaldo's achievements rank versus those of his peers? Drum roll please... Ronaldo is currently some 62 goals ahead of his great rival Lionel Messi, who has 838 career strikes for Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami and Argentina.  

With Ronaldo firing on all cylinders in Saudi Arabia and looking unlikely to give up the ghost at international level any time soon, few would bet against him extending that advantage before the two greats hang up their boots.

Cristiano Ronaldo says he has no intention to retire from international football yet, but does not expect it to be a difficult decision when the time comes.

The 39-year-old holds the record for the most caps and goals of any player in men's international football, netting 130 times in 212 games.

However, Ronaldo's future was called into question after an unconvincing Euro 2024 campaign in which he failed to hit the back of the net in five appearances.

The tournament in Germany was the sixth major finals Ronaldo has featured in, a record, and he became the first European player in history to make 50 appearances at major tournaments.

"When the time comes, I'll move on," he said. "It won't be a difficult decision to make.

"If I feel like I'm no longer contributing anything, I'll be the first to leave."

Ronaldo also said he "never considered leaving the national team" despite the criticism he received during the tournament.

"People's expectations of the national team were too high," Ronaldo added.

The forward has retained his place in the Portugal squad for their upcoming Nations League matches against Croatia and Scotland when he will be looking to score what will be his 900th career goal.

Cristiano Ronaldo has retained his place in the Portugal squad for their opening 2024-25 Nations League fixtures versus Croatia and Scotland.

Ronaldo is both Portugal's most-capped player and their leading all-time goalscorer, netting 130 goals in 212 senior caps, with both of those figures also being records for any nation in men's international football.

However, the 39-year-old's international future was called into question in the aftermath of Euro 2024, where the Selecao reached the last eight in unconvincing fashion before losing to France in a penalty shoot-out.

Ronaldo endured a miserable tournament, failing to score from 23 shots with a total expected goals (xG) value of 3.6. 

Only Kylian Mbappe (24) attempted more shots at goal at the tournament, while only Germany's Kai Havertz – who scored twice – posted a higher xG figure (4.12).

However, Ronaldo will continue to lead Portugal next month as they begin the next international cycle, potentially with an eye on appearing at his 12th major tournament at the 2026 World Cup.

Boss Roberto Martinez told reporters of Ronaldo's inclusion: "All players after the age of 30 have to face their career step by step, but Ronaldo's level is unique. 

"Playing at the level he is playing, having the physical data he has... It's incredible. Individual goals are part of the players' careers, for us the goals are collective. 

"Cristiano gave everything at the European Championship, we all gave everything, but we have to look ahead. Cristiano is important now for the national team, but no one can talk about the future."

Full Portugal squad: Diogo Costa (FC Porto), Jose Sa (Wolves), Rui Silva (Real Betis), Ruben Dias (Manchester City), Antonio Silva (Benfica), Renato Veiga (Chelsea), Goncalo Inacio (Sporting CP), Tiago Santos (Lille), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain), Nelson Semedo (Wolves), Joao Palhinha (Bayern Munich), Joao Neves (Paris Saint-Germain), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Ruben Neves (Al-Hilal), Joao Felix (Chelsea), Francisco Trincao (Sporting CP), Pedro Goncalves (Sporting CP), Rafael Leao (Milan), Geovany Quenda (Sporting CP), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr), Diogo Jota (Liverpool).

Cristiano Ronaldo has outlined his ambition to score 1,000 career goals before he brings his remarkable career to a close.

The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus star now plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, breaking that competition's single-season scoring record last term.

He has scored a mammoth total of 899 goals for both club and country, the most of any player in a senior career in the history of the sport.

But speaking on his own podcast with former team-mate Rio Ferdinand, Ronaldo set his sights firmly on the next major milestone, while also taking a cheeky swipe at the likes at Pele in the process by stating that all his goals would have been televised, unlike the legends of the past.

He said: "Soon I will [score my] 900th and after that it will be 1,000. If I don't have injuries, that is most important, I want that.

"My challenge is to reach 1,000 goals with one difference – all the goals that I score will have video. So I can prove that."

When asked how much longer he could keep competing for, 39-year-old Ronaldo does not see himself finishing up anytime soon.

He said: "I know I’m still looking good. I feel I can still dribble, shoot, score goals, jumping.

"The day that I feel I cannot produce anything, I pack my bags and I go away, but I feel far from that."

Talica was twice on target and Cristiano Ronaldo managed another goal and assist as Al Nassr swept Al Fayha aside with a 4-1 away victory in the Saudi Pro League.

The Portugal international needed just five minutes to tee up Brazilian team-mate Talisca, who added the second of his account late on in the match at King Abdullah Sport City Stadium.

Ronaldo got on the scoresheet himself in first-half stoppage time, with Marcelo Brozovic also on target before Fashon Sakala's 86th-minute consolation finish on Tuesday.

Victory marks Al Nassr's first win of the new league season after being held to a frustrating 1-1 draw with Al Raed in their opener.

Data Debrief: Al Nassr dominance continues

Al Fayha are now winless in their last 111 Pro League matches against Al Nassr (D3 L8), their longest current winless streak against any opponent.

Luis Castro's side, by contrast, have scored in their last 21 league outings, their longest such run since a streak between December 2019 to October 2020.

Cristiano Ronaldo will be honoured with a special award as the Champions League's all-time leading goalscorer.

Ronaldo's achievements in the competition will be recognised during the Champions League 2024-25 draw, which will take place in Monaco on Thursday.

Over the course of 18 years, Ronaldo netted 140 goals in 183 Champions League appearances, 11 more than Lionel Messi in second place, and 46 clear of Robert Lewandowski in third.

The 39-year-old's first goal came in his fourth season in the competition, netting twice in Manchester United's 7-1 quarter-final victory over Roma in April 2007.

The following season, Ronaldo won his first Champions League title, proving an integral part of United's winning team as he scored eight times, including their only goal in the final against Chelsea.

He would go on to win four more titles with Real Madrid, enjoying his most prolific campaign during the first of those successes as he netted 17 times, a competition record, in 11 appearances in 2013-14.

The pick of Ronaldo's Champions League goals came during the longest scoring streak in the competition's history (11 games between June 2017 and April 2018), as he scored an outstanding overhead kick against Juventus in the quarter-finals.

The Portuguese forward was also the first five-time winner of the competition and finished as top-scorer on seven separate occasions, including six in a row between 2012 and 2018.

His final campaign in the competition saw him score six times in seven appearances on his return to Manchester United, hitting the back of the net in his first five group games.

"Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the brightest stars in the UEFA Champions League constellation," said UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin. "His extraordinary goal-scoring achievements in the competition seem destined to stand the test of time, posing a remarkable challenge for future generations to surpass.

"His sustained excellence at the highest level is a testament to his relentless pursuit of both team and individual honours. Over more than two decades, he has continuously evolved and refined his game while preserving a youthful passion for scoring and celebrating goals.

"His professionalism, work ethic, dedication, and ability to shine on the grandest stage are qualities that football players everywhere should aspire to emulate."

Cristiano Ronaldo says Al-Nassr could well be the last club of his career before he retires.

Ronaldo made the move to the Saudi Pro League during the 2022-23, after he was released by Manchester United, and has since scored 74 goals in 81 games in all competitions for Al-Nassr, averaging a goal every 97 minutes.

Last season, Ronaldo broke the record for the most goals in a Saudi Pro League season, scoring 35.

At the age of 39, Ronaldo has no plans to retire just yet, but he suggested he is likely to bring the curtain down on his trophy-laden career at his current club.

He told Portuguese channel NOW: "I don't know if I'll finish soon or in two or three years. But, possibly, it will be at Al-Nassr.

"It's the team where I'm happy, where I'm good, where I feel good, both in the country and in the league.

"That's why, most likely I can finish my career at Al-Nassr. I'm very happy to play in the league and I want to continue."

Despite a difficult Euros, in which Ronaldo could not find the target in any of his five matches and had the most shots in the tournament without scoring, the veteran reiterated his desire to continue representing Portugal.

"When I leave the national team, I won't tell anyone in advance and it will be a very spontaneous decision on my part, but also a very well thought-out one”, Ronaldo said.

"Right now what I want is to be able to help the national team in their upcoming matches. We have the Nations League ahead of us and I would really like to play."

Asked if he could take a step into coaching, Ronaldo said: "At the moment, I'm not thinking about being a coach of the first team or any team.

"It doesn't even cross my mind, I've never thought about it. I don't see my future going through that. I see myself doing other things outside of football, but only God knows what the future holds."

Cristiano Ronaldo was denied a late winner as Al-Nassr were held to a 1-1 draw by Al-Raed on the opening day of the Saudi Pro League.

Mohammed Fouzair equalised from the spot at the start of the second half, cancelling out the 39-year-old's first-half goal at Al Awal Park on Thursday.

Al-Nassr dominated the opening exchanges, and when the visitors struggled to clear their lines from a corner, Ronaldo towered over everyone in the box to nod home Sadio Mane's delivery.

They found themselves on the backfoot minutes into the second half though - Amir Sayoud's curling shot was saved, but Fouzair was dragged back by Aymeric Laporte when he tried to reach the rebound, resulting in the defender receiving a straight red card.

After a VAR review, the card was downgraded to a yellow and a penalty was awarded to Al-Raed. Fouzair then made no mistake from 12 yards, picking out the bottom-right corner.

Talisca struck the post as Al-Nassr searched for a winner, and Ronaldo thought he had found one with just under 15 minutes left. He curved his run in behind the defence to poke past Meshari Sunyur, who had looked unbeatable, but the forward was offside, and it did not count.

The hosts were unable to join Al-Taawoun on three points at the top of the table after their win earlier on Thursday. 

Data Debrief: Fine margins deny Ronaldo

After suffering disappointment in the Saudi Super Cup last weekend, Al-Nassr would have been keen to get off to a winning start in the league.

And they came close. They dominated throughout the game, having 28 shots to Al-Raed's seven, generating 2.18 expected goals.

Ronaldo now has 36 goals in the Saudi Pro League and was denied a 37th by the closest of margins in a frustrating day for the hosts.

Erling Haaland is reaching the levels of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, so says Pep Guardiola.

Haaland marked his 100th appearance for Manchester City with his 91st goal for the club in a 2-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday.

The Norway forward has been directly involved in 106 goals for City.

And Guardiola believes the 24-year-old's record can be compared to the exploits of Messi and Ronaldo.

Guardiola said: "He has the numbers for Messi and Ronaldo, who controlled the last decade, 15 years, absolutely everything. In terms of the numbers, it is that level."

Despite his manager's praise, the data does not suggest Haaland is quite yet at the level of Messi or Ronaldo during their most fruitful campaigns.

Haaland has managed a goal on average every 88 minutes since joining City two years ago.

However, during Messi's best goalscoring season (2012-13), he managed a goal every 67 minutes in all competitions for Barcelona.

Meanwhile, in the 2014-15 season while at Real Madrid, Ronaldo scored every 76 minutes.

Norway did not qualify for Euro 2024, and Guardiola thinks Haaland has benefited from his extended rest this summer, as City began their hunt for a record fifth successive Premier League title in style.

He said: "I had a feeling that he feels better than last season at this stage. After last season, he felt a bit [so-so] or felt he was tired.

"This season, I think for the Euros unfortunately Norway were not there, there was more rest and he feels good."

A Cristiano Ronaldo goal was not enough for Al-Nassr as they were trounced 4-1 by rivals Al-Hilal in the Saudi Arabian Super Cup on Saturday.

Ronaldo struck first in the 2024-25 curtain-raiser, tapping Abdulrahman Ghareeb's cutback home shortly before the interval at the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium.

However, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner was seen angrily gesticulating at his team-mates as Al-Nassr collapsed in the second half, with Al-Hilal – unbeaten Pro League champions last season – running riot.

Former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic scored twice in six minutes to take the game away from Al-Nassr, after Sergej Milinkovic-Savic capped a driving run with a powerful finish into the roof of the net for 1-1.

Al-Hilal added further gloss to the scoreline through Malcom with 18 minutes to play, the Brazilian stealing possession from goalkeeper Bento to tap into an unguarded net.

Data Debrief: Al-Hilal ruthless, Ronaldo frustrated

Al-Hilal certainly made the most of their chances on Saturday, scoring four times from just nine attempts totalling 1.8 expected goals (xG).

They were solid at the other end, too, limiting Al-Nassr to 0.77 xG and Ronaldo to just two shots – his 44th-minute opener and a wild 93rd-minute attempt when the game was already up.

Ronaldo was seen gesturing that his team-mates were asleep in the aftermath of Al-Hilal's fourth goal, as Bento's loose touch allowed Malcom in to make it a rout.