Izuchukwu Okosi
Manchester United moved back to the top four spot in the English Premier League Saturday evening albeit temporarily until Arsenal’s game against Leicester City on Sunday as striker Cristiano Ronaldo etched his name into football’s record books.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe Portuguese became football’s all-time leading scorer with 807 goals after a brilliant hat-trick against Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.
The all-time top goalscorer title in football is much contested and FIFA does not keep an official record, but the world governing body estimates that Austro-Czech Josef Bican netted 805 goals during a career that lasted from 1931 to ’55.
Saturday evening kicked off a make-or-break Old Trafford double-header, with Atletico Madrid arriving in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday after what Ralf Rangnick admitted was a must-win league match for his side.
United did not disappoint as star turn Ronaldo returned from injury with a bang, striking home superbly from 25 yards and adding another after Harry Kane had levelled from the spot.
The hosts were staring down the barrel of an unwanted draw following Harry Maguire’s own goal, only for the 37-year-old to rise highest to head home a corner and send Old Trafford wild.
Ronaldo wound the back the years on Saturday in front of another sporting giant who showed incredible longevity, with watching NFL great Tom Brady applauding in amazement after his long-range opener.
One of the former quarterback’s biggest fans levelled for Tottenham as Kane lashed home a penalty, but United went into half-time ahead after Ronaldo notched his second.
An own goal from skipper Maguire which was much expected from his many critics stunned Old Trafford but Ronaldo would not be stopped on his return from the hip flexor issue that ruled him out of the humbling loss at Manchester City as he completed his hat-trick.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
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