‘What a beautiful journey’: Pele congratulates Ronaldo for surpassing his goal record
Brazil great Pele has congratulated Cristiano Ronaldo for breaking his record “official goals” records after the Portuguese scored a hat trick in Juventus’ 3-1 victory over Cagliari on Sunday.
Brazil great Pele has congratulated Cristiano Ronaldo for breaking his record “official goals” records after the Portuguese scored a hat trick in Juventus’ 3-1 victory over Cagliari on Sunday.
“Life is a solo flight. Each makes his own journey. And what a beautiful journey you are having! I admire you a lot, I love watching you play and this is no secret to anyone. Congratulations on breaking my record of goals in official matches,” Pele, who posted a picture of himself and Ronaldo embracing, said on Instagram.
“My only regret is not being able to give you a hug today. But I leave this photo in your honour, with great affection, as the symbol of a friendship that has existed for many years.”
Moreso, Ronaldo also said that the legendary Pele has always been a motivation for him. Breaking his achievement made him really happy, likewise, set another challenge for him therein.
“The last few weeks were filled with news and stats considering me the World’s Top Scorer in football history, overcoming Pele’s 757 official goals. Although I’m thankful for that recognition, now it’s time for me to explain why I didn’t acknowledge that record until this moment,” Ronaldo said in an Instagram post of his own.
“My everlasting and unconditional admiration for mister Edson Arantes do Nascimento [Pele], such as the respect that I have for mid-20th century football, led me to take into account his 767 scores, assuming his 9 goals for Sao Paulo State Team, as well as his single goal for the Brazilian Military Team, as official goals. The World has changed since then and football has changed as well, but this doesn’t mean that we can just erase history according to our interests.
“Today, as I reach the 770.º official goal in my professional career, my first words go straight to @pele. There’s no player in the World who hasn’t been raised listening to stories about his games, his goals and his achievements, and I’m no exception. And for that reason, I’m filled with joy and pride as I acknowledge the goal that puts me on top of the World’s goalscoring list, overcoming Pelé’s record, something that I could never have dreamed of while growing up as a child from Madeira.
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“Thanks to all of those who took part in this amazing journey with me. To my teammates, to my opponents, to the fans of the beautiful game all over the world and, above all, to my family and close friends: trust me when I say that I couldn’t have done it without you.
“Now I can’t wait for the next games and challenges! The next records and trophies! Believe me, this story is still far from being over. The future is tomorrow and there’s still a lot to win for Juventus and Portugal!
“Join me in this journey! Let’s go!”
