Cristiano Ronaldo makes history. again. The Portuguese initially only sits on the bench in the away game in Everton, then comes on early because of an injury to a team-mate - and kicks. He cracked the next magic mark in his outstanding career.
The success story of the successful footballer Cristiano Ronaldo actually seems to have been told. At Manchester United he only plays a supporting role. He longs for a new task. Because Ronaldo wants to play. Ronaldo wants to shine. The Portuguese superstar may have one last highlight in the United jersey on Sunday evening. At Everton he scored as a joker just before the break. For his team it's a 2-1 lead (the game is still going on), for the striker a historic one. It is the 700th goal at club level.
Listed by employer, it reads like this: he scored 450 goals for Real Madrid, 144 for Manchester United, where he once became a superstar and is currently under contract for the second time, 101 for Juventus Turin and 5 for his training club Sporting Lisbon.
And that's how it happened: Everton striker Alex Iwobi loses the ball to Casemiro, who makes the game fast and serves Ronaldo on the left. The 37-year-old is faster than Conor Coady and shoots the ball from 15 meters through Jordan Pickford's legs into the far corner. In the seventh mission, it is actually the first league goal. With this sense of achievement, the five-time world footballer also puts a little of the frustration that he has been building up for weeks. With the reserve role. With the final spasm.
Most recently, for example, he was desperate in the Europa League at Omonia Nicosia. Ronaldo had missed the best opportunities. The 78th minute was symbolic of this when the 37-year-old shot the post from a free-standing distance of almost six yards. In stoppage time, he flicked the ball just wide of the goal from the best position and roared his frustration into the evening sky. Aside from converting his chances, Ronaldo played well.
The historic goal will change little in Ronaldo's role at United. Separation in winter is extremely likely. Coach Erik ten Hag, who was against leaving in the summer, has signaled that his mind has changed. Recently, the rumor popped up that the superstar was under discussion at Galatasaray. The superstar is not yet thinking about the end of his career. He recently announced that he wanted to continue until the 2024 European Championships in Germany. There had also been criticism in his home country in the past few weeks. The forbidden question had been asked as to whether CR7 should still be the undisputed regular in the national team. Especially since younger attackers like Milan's Rafael Leão are pushing themselves
