‘Now it’s a record’: Ronaldo takes the throne of Pele. And send a message to Juve | First page

CR770. This is his day again. The hat-trick with which Cristiano Ronaldo closed the Cagliari case in half an hour. In reality there was not only time for the exaltation of his way of reacting to the flop of the Champions League: perhaps there could have been red for the foul on Cragno, the more or less controversial exultation could have been avoided, even the way in which he flaunted his refusal to give hot interviews was not the best. Also because the three goals scored against Cagliari do not approach the Scudetto or bring Juve back a few days, avoiding the flop in the Champions League of which Ronaldo remains one of the main culprits. But the three goals scored against Cagliari help set the record straight, Ronaldo is always Ronaldo. And the numbers speak of a player who cannot be a problem: 23 goals in the league, 30 this season, 95 with the Juve shirt, 770 in his career. Yes, 770.

ON SOCIAL. These are just some of the numbers of an incredible champion, aware of having disappointed in the Champions League but at the same time disappointed by all the criticisms that have rained down on him, as if half the world of football was waiting for nothing else. He launched his messages on the field, they say so. And at least in part it is true. Others have granted them to social networks: “Always together, until the end”, he writes thinking of Juve. To then proclaim himself the best scorer ever even if according to the statistical archive this is a goal that has already been crossed for some time. Why Ronaldo has been waiting only now, he always explains it via social media, addressing directly to those who have been overtaken: Pele. “The last few weeks have been full of news and statistics that consider me the best world scorer in the history of football, surpassing Pele’s 757 official goals. While I am grateful for that recognition, now is the time for me to explain why I haven’t recognized that record until now. My eternal and unconditional admiration for Mr. Edson Arantes do Nascimento, as well as the respect I have for mid-20th century football, led me to consider his score of 767, assuming his 9 goals for São Paulo. State Team, as well as its single target for the Brazilian military team, as official targets. The world has changed since then and football has changed too, but that doesn’t mean that we can simply erase history according to our interests. Today, when I reach the official milestone of 770 goals in my professional career, my first words go straight to Pele. There is no player in the world who has not grown up listening to stories about his games, his goals and his successes, and I am no exception. And for that reason, I am filled with joy and pride when I recognize the goal that put me at the top of the world goal list, breaking Pele’s record, something I could never dream of as I was growing up as a child of Madeira. Thanks to everyone who took part in this amazing journey with me. To my teammates, my opponents, the fans of the beautiful game all over the world and, above all, my family and close friends – trust me when I say I couldn’t have done it without you. Now I can’t wait for the next challenges! The next records and trophies! Believe me, this story is still far from over. The future is tomorrow and there is still a lot to win for Juventus and Portugal! Here we go!”.

AND NOW … Thirteen matches remain in the season at Juve, between the championship and the final of the Italian Cup. But it is the future that interests the Juventus people more than the present. Ronaldo has not yet made a decision, it takes time and lucidity. Although the Champions League has remained an increasingly open wound at Juve, whatever happens, the awareness of having brought one of the strongest players ever to Italian football will remain. That in the evening of Cagliari he showed almost everything about himself: the braggart and the crystalline class, the anger and the hunger. In any case, the conviction of being number one today and forever.–