He reached 54 goals and is the top scorer in 2023 above Mbappé, Kane and Haaland

The legend said that the Fountain of Youth I was in Bimini, some small and mysterious islands that are part of the Bahamas archipelago. Juan Ponce de León himself wanted to get there, having learned about it through word of mouth while he governed Puerto Rico at the dawn of the 16th century. The Spanish conquistador never found it, of course. It was a myth. Or a mistake. The Fountain of Youth, apparently, is on the Island of Madeira, the homeland of stainless steel. Cristiano Ronaldo.

And if you don’t believe it, it’s worth reviewing what the Portuguese did in 2023. 37 days after blowing out 39 candles – next February 5 – and with an enviable validity, CR7 He emerged as the top scorer of the year. This Saturday, with the patience of the wise, he did not miss his appointment and, in injury time of the duel against Al Taawon for the Saudi Pro League, rounded off the 4-1 away win for his team, Al Nassr. Thus he raised his scoring record to 54 points, more than any other footballer anywhere in the world. Impressive mark no matter how you look at it – especially for achieving it at such an advanced age – beyond the fact that he no longer competes in a top league.

I had not been aiming Cristiano Ronaldo throughout a game that he faced without too many worries, given that no one could surpass him in this personal crusade. It is that the previous date date had surpassed the English Harry Kane (Tottenham, Bayern Munich and England) and the French Kylian Mbappé (PSG and France), both with 52 conquests and had secured being the annual top scorer.

Also, as if that were not enough, he had relegated the Norwegian Erling Haaland who was stuck at 50 goals after having missed the last seven games of the year with Manchester City. However, CR7 was patient and extended his records when there was almost no time left on the stopwatch after a cross. Fofana School from the right that fell on his head.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored for the fifth consecutive day in the million-dollar Saudi league. This season, he has 20 screamers in 18 appearances. But we must also tell everything he scored the previous season with Al Nassr and what he added with Portugal. Nobody has scored more. In the year – he had achieved it for the last time in 2015 – and in history: now he has 873 in his prolific career and is 52 ahead of Lionel Messiwho at 36 years old only has 821. Yes, the validity of El Bicho is as great as that of the Rosario star.

Mbappé, 25, and Kane, 30, had reached the top of the scoring table by Christmas. But neither of them had competition again because both Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich completed their schedule. Of the two, the Frenchman could be put above: he scored the goals in 53 games, while the British did them in 57. CR7 did not waste the opportunity to get the knockout thanks to the two goals he scored on Tuesday the 26th against Al Marcelo Gallardo’s Ittihad and this final header he added yesterday against Al Taawon.

In fifth place was the Irishman Garvan Coughlan, from Cashmere Technical of New Zealand, with 41 screams. Then the Gabonese stood Denis Bouanga, from Los Angeles Football Club, of the MLS, with 40 goals. And there, on step number 7, the first Argentine breaks in: German Cano. The one born in Lomas de Zamora scored 40 goals in 60 games in Fluminense. The Belgian completed the top ten Romelu Lukaku (40 in 62 PJ), the Hungarian Barnabas Varga (39 in 45 PJ) and the Mexican Santiago Giménez (39 in 64 PJ)

And Messi? The man from Rosario played 42 games (PSG, Inter Miami and Argentina) and scored 28 goals. In the last 13 years, Leo finished as the top scorer four times, now one less than the phenomenal Ronaldo. The detail shows that Leo was the best in 2010 with 60 goals, the same ones that Ronaldo scored in 2011. In 2012, Leo broke all records by scoring 91. In 2013, 2014 and 2015 Ronaldo scored, with 63, 61 and 57 celebrations. 2016 was for the man from Rosario with 59. Kane entered in 2017 with 56 and in 2018 Leo returned with 51 shouts. 2019, 2020 and 2021 were for Lewandowski with 55, 47 and 69. In 2022, the best was Mbappé with 56 goals.

Who were the best Argentines behind Cano? Lautaro Martínez He completed the year with 38 goals at Inter. and followed him Mauro Icardi and his 37 conquests with Galatasaray of Türkiye.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo 53 (58 PJ)
2. Kylian Mbappé 52 (53 PJ)
3. Harry Kane 52 (57 PJ)
4. Erling Haaland 50 (60 PJ)
5. Garbhan Coughlan 41 (27 PJ)
6. Denis Bouanga 40 (53 PJ)
7. Germán Cano 40 (61 PJ)
8. Romelu Lukaku 40 (61 PJ)
9. Barnabás Varga 39 (45 PJ)
10. Santiago Giménez 39 (64 PJ)