There is no central database to establish men’s football’s all-time top scorer, but Ronaldo was already leading the way for official games at a high level.
The Czech football association says Josef Bican, who played in Czechoslovakia and Austria, scored 821 goals in official matches. Elsewhere his tally is placed at 805 – but those include reserve-team and non-official international goals.
Brazil legends Pele and Romario separately claim to have scored more than 1,000 goals each, but filter out friendlies and those numbers drop down to the 700s.
Unofficial statisticians RSSSF,, external say Pele (769), Romario and Ferenc Puskas (both 761) are the players nearest to Ronaldo at the elite end of football.
Lionel Messi, Ronaldo’s long-time rival has scored 867 career goals to date.