'Cristiano Ronaldo has crazy numbers' - Germany captain Joshua Kimmich blown away by Portugal superstar ahead of Nations League semi-final clash

Ahead of playing his 100th game for Germany in this week's UEFA Nations League semi-final against Portugal, Joshua Kimmich was asked at the pre-match press conference about facing Cristiano Ronaldo. The skipper spoke with great respect for an opponent who is still playing at the highest level in his fifth decade on earth and has scored more international goals than any male player in history.

Ronaldo's Portugal tally of 136 goals is a world record in men's international football. His 219 caps is another world record, by some distance, the only male player to represent a senior national side more than 200 times. Ronaldo made his senior club debut back in 2002 and has been a Portugal international for 23 years, more than half his life. There is some debate about tallies recorded by players from older generations, notably Pele - who claimed to have scored over 1,200 goals, but Ronaldo's career goal tally of 936 is also recognised as a world record.

"I read that he scored [136] goals for the national team," Kimmich told reporters. "Cristiano Ronaldo has crazy numbers, especially when you look at the consistency, he's been playing at a very high level for over 20 years, performing for his country. For me, 100 caps already makes me very proud."

For all that Ronaldo is undoubtedly an all-time great, his powers are definitely waning. He has struggled to make a telling impact for Portugal at successive major tournaments in 2022 and 2024 and hasn't found the net in a game against what might be considered an elite international opponent since a brace against France at Euro 2020 - four years ago.

Ronaldo's club career is up in the air. He is just four weeks from the end of his Al-Nassr contract and no new agreement has been reached amid frustration at the team's lack of competitiveness within Saudi Arabia and at a continental level. He has been tipped to sign a short-term deal with a team in this month's FIFA Club World Cup - Monterrey and Wydad are two such rumoured destinations, while Saudi giants Al-Hilal are also reported to be on the scene.