Cristiano Ronaldo won’t be the first player to score 1,000 career goals, claims Real Madrid icon Roberto Carlos
Despite having just turned 41 a few days ago, Cristiano Ronaldo remains one of the most relevant figures in world soccer. He is shaping up to be one of the main attractions at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while also pursuing the milestone of 1,000 career goals. On that topic, Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos shared his thoughts.
During a recent interview with O Jogo, Roberto Carlos was asked whether he believes Ronaldo could realistically reach that goal during the World Cup with Portugal. “For those who love Cristiano and soccer, seeing him continue to make history and break records is wonderful,” the former Brazilian defender said to begin his answer.
However, he made it clear that Cristiano Ronaldo would not be the first striker in soccer history to reach that mark. “The only player to have scored 1000 goals was Pele, but Cristiano could join the list,” Roberto Carlos stated.
That claim, however, did not diminish the praise the former Real Madrid left back had for CR7. “I see him happy and confident in the Saudi league. I’m absolutely certain he’ll reach that milestone. He never gets injured. He continues to play well, he’s a role model, Portugal deserve congratulations.”
Finally, Roberto Carlos said he hopes Ronaldo extends his professional career indefinitely so fans can continue to enjoy his magic on the field. “Cristiano can’t stop, ever. If he ever decides to stop playing, I’ll call him and tell him not to stop,” joked the 2002 World Cup winner with Brazil. “He should never stop playing soccer, even if it’s just with one leg or crawling. He transmits a lot of strength and energy to any boy who wants to start.”
Did Pele reach 1,000 goals?
For some time now, Cristiano Ronaldo has insisted on his goal of reaching 1,000 career goals in order to become the first player to surpass that mark in soccer history. However, there is no universal agreement regarding those statistical conclusions. Brazilian fans have argued for decades that at least two players from their country surpassed that milestone.
Unofficial records indicate that Pele scored 1,282 goals in 1,363 matches, which would place him alone at the top of the all-time scoring list. Those figures, however, are heavily disputed because they include goals from youth matches, friendlies, and exhibition games.
Official data places the Brazilian legend much lower. According to FIFA, Pele recorded 757 goals between his debut with Santos in 1956 and his retirement with the New York Cosmos in 1980, in addition to his years with the Brazil national team.
Similarly, Romario has also claimed to have scored more than 1,000 goals during his career and says he reached that mark on May 20, 2007, while playing for Vasco da Gama. However, for the same reasons as in Pele’s case, FIFA officially credits Romario with 772 goals.
How many goals does Cristiano Ronaldo need to reach 1,000?
When it comes to Cristiano Ronaldo’s numbers, there is no debate or controversy. He has scored 961 official goals during his professional career at both club and international level. That places him at the top of the all-time scoring rankings and very close to becoming the first player to reach 1,000 goals. To do so, he needs just 39 more goals, something that could happen as soon as this year.