Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated his 900th career goal, but the Portugal captain claimed he is "haunted" by records. (More Football News)
Ronaldo scored his la♍ndmark goal in the 34th minute of Thursday's Nations League contest between Portugal and Croatia in Lisbon.
The 39-year-oldꦛ's close-range finish, his 131st goal for Portugal, was enough to secure a 2-1🏅 win for Roberto Martinez's team, who went ahead through Diogo Dalot, although the full-back then scored an own goal that dragged Croatia back into proceedings.
Ronaldo was taken off late on to a standing ovation, and speaking to Portuguese media, he s𝄹aid: "It was an excitin🌳g goal for me. It's a round number.
"Only I know how hard it✨ is t🅰o work every day to score your 900th goal.
"It's a unique milestone in my career. Iꦍ don't break records… they hau🦋nt me!"
Ronaldo let the emotio♚ns out after scoring, and seemed to be in tears of joy while celebrating.
"As you know, I'm already 39 and a half years old and so you have to be very focused for things to go well," he exꦆplained. "To be at this level requires a lot of dedication.
"So, when these little records happen, small, big, I get emotional because I know a꧒nd value what I do, and my teammates, because obviously without my team-mates this would be unthinkable."
Ronaldo endured a difficult Euro 2024 camp👍aign, failing to score from 24 shots, including a penalty that was saved by Jan Oblak.
Portugal eventually crashed out to France on penalties, and Ronaldo stressed the importance of getting off to a go🌟od start, and complimented Martinez's change in approach.
"After what happened in the European Championship, we had to give a good response and that's what happene🌱d," he said.
"We played well. Croatia fought rea𝔍lly well and I think it was a spectacular game.
"I felt freer than usual in this game. The coach also gave me that opportꦆunity and we also played, in my opinion, a little differently to how we played in the European Championship.
"We made a lot of changes, the playe༺rs were freer on the pitch and when that happens, it's better for me, I'll be honesဣt.
"I feཧel better, I feel more involved in the game and I can enjoy footbaౠll more. It's not that I didn't enjoy it at the Euros, but I like being a free player, I like to make space for my team-mates too and today was a performance that the team performed very well."
