Cristiano Ronaldo loses proud UEFA record he shared with two other legendary players

Cristiano Ronaldo, along with two of the biggest stars of this generation have lost their proud UEFA record.

Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo will go down as one of the finest players to ever step foot on a football pitch.

The 39-year-old has played for some of the biggest clubs in world football including the likes of Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus.

Ronaldo has scored more than 760 goals in his career and has broken many records along the way.

However, on Wednesday night, Ronaldo lost one of his proud UEFA records that he shared with Radamel Falcao and former Madrid teammate Karim Benzema.

During the UEFA Europa Conference League final in Athens, Olympiacos came out on top after a late Ayoub El Kaabi goal sealed a 1-0 over Fiorentina.

The goal by El Kaabi was his 11th goal in the knockout stage of the competition, putting him ahead of Ronaldo, Falcao and Benzema as the man who has scored the most goals in a single UEFA club competition knockout stage since the group stages were introduced.

Most goals scored in a single UEFA club competition knockout stage since the group stages were introduced:

◉ 11 - Ayoub El Kaabi (2024 UECL)
◎ 10 - Cristiano Ronaldo (2017 UCL)
◎ 10 - Karim Benzema (2022 UCL)
◎ 10 - Radamel Falcao (2011 UEL)

This was El Kaabi's debut season… pic.twitter.com/nqlcEflcLQ

— Squawka (@Squawka) May 29, 2024

Ronaldo managed 10 goals during the 2017 Champions League, which Madrid won after beating Juventus 4-1 in the final held at the Millenium Stadium.

Benzema achieved the same feat in the 2022 Champions League, with Falcao doing the same back in the Europa League in 2011.

Earlier in the week, Ronaldo broke a record in his first full season playing for Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr.

The Portuguese scored twice during Al Nassr’s 4-2 win over Al Iittihad in the Saudi Professional League, meaning he has now scored 35 goals in 31 league matches.

As a result of his brace, he has set a new record for the most amount of goals in a single Saudi Professional League season.

The previous record was held by Moroccan striker Abderrazak Hamdallah when he was plying his trade with Al Nassr.

Speaking after the match, Ronaldo said: “I don’t follow the records, the records follow me.”