The Controversial Number
On October 26, 2025, Cristiano Ronaldo reached the milestone of 950 “official” goals in his career when he scored for Al Nassr against Al Hazm. He was celebrated as the first player in history to achieve this feat. However, behind this impressive figure lies a heated debate about goal-counting methodologies that has persisted for decades in football.
The Friendly Match Paradox: Why Count International But Not Club Friendlies?
This is the biggest contradiction in modern goal counting. According to FIFA standards and reputable statistical organizations, international friendly goals count toward official records, while club friendly goals do not.
If we applied this standard consistently, Ronaldo would have surpassed 1,000 goals. According to RSSSF, when including club friendlies, CR7’s tally reaches 1,008 goals. But in official statistics, he has only 950.
Why this distinction?
The reasoning given is that international friendlies still affect FIFA rankings and players have fewer opportunities to represent their national teams. Meanwhile, club friendlies often feature constantly rotating squads, non-standard match durations (sometimes 4 x 45 minutes), and occasionally face extremely weak opposition (like Bayern’s 27-0 win).
But is this logic convincing? Many international friendlies also lack genuine competitiveness. Ronaldo has scored against teams like Luxembourg (11 goals in 11 matches), Lithuania (7 goals in 3 matches), and Armenia (7 goals). Are these opponents really stronger than clubs in pre-season friendlies?
Icons of the Modern Era: The Ronaldo Football Kit vs Messi Football Kit Debate
For Champions League fans worldwide, the rivalry between these two legends transcends statistics. Fans wearing the iconic Ronaldo football kit, whether the white of Real Madrid, the red of Manchester United, or the black and gold of Al Nassr have witnessed 140 Champions League goals, an untouchable record. Meanwhile, supporters donning the Messi football kit in Barcelona’s blaugrana or PSG’s colors celebrate a player with superior goal-per-game efficiency despite fewer total goals.
This debate mirrors the goal-counting controversy itself: which matters more the absolute numbers that Ronaldo represents, or the efficiency and peak performance that Messi embodies? The answer often depends on which kit you’re wearing.
The Ghosts of Pelé and Romário: History Repeating Itself
The goal-counting controversy isn’t new. Pelé once claimed 1,283 goals in his career, but this number included friendlies, military matches, and even games against semi-professional and amateur teams.
FIFA and IFFHS only recognize Pelé’s 762 goals by modern standards. Similarly, Romário claimed 1,000 goals in 2007, but FIFA only acknowledges 929 official goals, as he counted youth team matches, friendlies, and unofficial games.
Josef Bican the Austrian-Czech striker is even more controversial. Different statistical sources cite anywhere from 722 to 1,813 goals, depending on whether they include reserve team matches, regional competitions, and wartime games.
Ronaldo vs Messi: An Unfair Race?
Messi currently has 891 official goals, trailing Ronaldo by 59 goals. But here’s the crucial point: Messi reached 890 goals at 38 years and 112 days, while Ronaldo required 39 years and 89 days.
Moreover, Messi has only played 1,131 matches compared to Ronaldo’s 1,293 matches meaning Messi’s scoring efficiency is higher (0.79 goals/match vs 0.73 goals/match).
Some Ronaldo fans accuse Messi of also benefiting from counting international friendly goals, but this is a rule applied uniformly to all modern players.
Double Standards or Era-Specific Standards?
Detailed Analysis Table:
The core issue: there is no unified standard throughout football history. Players from Pelé’s and Bican’s era had many types of matches counted that modern players don’t. Conversely, today’s continental and international competitions are far more developed, creating more opportunities for “official” goals.
Goal-counting rules across different eras:
Ronaldo’s Undisputable Records
Despite debates about counting methods, some of Ronaldo’s achievements are undeniable:
Scoring 100+ goals for 5 different clubs is a record that even Ronaldo himself admits is “almost impossible to break”. No other player has demonstrated such consistent goal-scoring across so many leagues, playing styles, and opponents.
Breakdown of Ronaldo’s 950 goals:
The Race to 1,000: Does It Still Matter?
Ronaldo has publicly stated his ambition to reach 1,000 official goals. At his current rate (7 goals in 6 Saudi Pro League matches in 2025-26), ESPN predicts he’ll hit this milestone in late 2026.
But does the 1,000-goal milestone hold value when achieved in the Saudi Pro League, a competition not considered among the world’s top 10? Many argue that scoring against weaker Saudi teams is far less significant than in the Champions League or Premier League.
This leads to a philosophical question: Quality or quantity? Romário and Pelé have proven that big numbers don’t automatically bring recognition without clear context.
Conclusion: Great, But Context Matters
Ronaldo is the greatest goal-scorer of the modern era, this is undisputed. But claiming he’s “the first player to reach 950 goals” needs a big asterisk: “by modern standards, excluding club friendlies, but including international friendlies”.
The truth is we cannot directly compare across eras. Football in Pelé’s and Bican’s time was completely different from today in terms of match frequency, opponent quality, and statistical methods.
Instead of debating who is “the greatest of all time,” perhaps we should acknowledge: Ronaldo is the greatest of his era, with records that are fully documented and transparent. And that’s more than enough to secure his place in history.
