Former Real Madrid striker Carlos Santillana believes current superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will not only surpass the Spanish legend’s goalscoring haul, but will also go on to smash every possible goalscoring record for Los Blancos.
The Spanish legend is third on Madrid’s all-time scoring chart with 289 registered over 17 years for the club. However, in an interview with Goal.com last week, he said he is prepared to be passed by Ronaldo.
“Ronaldo will catch them all — first me, but then [Alfredo] Di Stefano, Raul, everyone,” he said. “Madrid will benefit, with the goals, the points, the knockout games … He will break all records, I’m convinced.”
During the March 23 Clasico, Ronaldo buried a penalty to score his 243rd goal for the capital club and move beyond Ferenc Puskas into fourth on the all-time scoring list.
Santillana said Ronaldo’s astonishing strike rate — an astonishing rate of 1.03 goals scored per match in his first four seasons at Madrid — will carry him past Raul and Di Stefano.
“Cristiano Ronaldo can reach them all,” he said. “It’s normal [for him]. At my time it was unthinkable for a player to hit 50 goals in a season.”
For that matter, Ronaldo scored 60 goals in all competitions for Los Merengues in the 2011-12 season, and with 44 at this point in the 2013-14 season, most would not bet against him equaling or bettering his record.
Santillana praised the intense rivalry between Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and Ronaldo. The two have split the past six FIFA Ballon d’Or Awards between them and continue to one-up each other’s goalscoring displays.
“What Messi and Ronaldo are doing is crazy,” Santillana said. “You have to enjoy it.”
C.ronaldo is the of real madrid for now