One of the highlights of the ceremony was the Portuguese forward, who now holds the record for most goals scored in the competition.
During the draw for this year’s Champions League first stage, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin awarded Cristiano Ronaldo the UEFA President’s award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Champions League. With this accolade, Cristiano Ronaldo’s illustrious career in Europe’s top club tournament is further cemented.
The President’s Award is given to Cristiano Ronaldo
It is a joy to be in this place. It has great meaning for me. Although the records are obvious, I place more value on the players who have participated in this competition, such as Buffon. It’s not the same when you hear that song. Every time I attend this Monaco gala, I have wonderful recollections; I’ve won it numerous times, and I’ve been the highest scorer. Both football and everyone of us are composed of memories. The Portuguese star laughed and stated, “We’ll see if I return to play in the Champions League… we’ll see.”
It’s difficult to pick just one Champions League trophy that Ronaldo found most memorable, he said in response to a question. Perhaps the first is always special when it comes to United. Naturally, though, I must bring up Madrid. It had been a long time since our victory in Lisbon in 2008, in front of the Portuguese supporters… A great deal of pressure existed. We were a terrific team. It was a six-year wait. Ketchup is similar to the Champions League. The wins just keep coming when you get the first one, he said in jest.
Ronaldo’s Champions League record
The Portuguese striker won four Champions League titles with Real Madrid and one with Manchester United. In addition, he is the competition’s record holder for the longest goal-scoring run, having scored in 11 straight games between June 2017 and April 2018. He also scored eight hat-tricks during the competition.
For eighteen years, Ronaldo participated in the Champions League. In 183 games, the former stars of Sporting, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus scored 140 goals. On the all-time scorers list, he holds an 11-goal edge over Lionel Messi and a 46-goal advantage over Robert Lewandowski, who is in third place.
More than any other player, Ronaldo finished seven Champions League seasons as the leading scorer. He scored eight goals in the victorious 2007–08 season for Manchester United and fifteen goals in the 2017–18 campaign for Real Madrid as they won the championship for the third time in a row. With 17 goals in 2013–14, he also holds the record for most goals scored in a single season.
