26 years and counting 

©TM/IMAGO

Cristiano Ronaldo is used to making history and breaking records, but even he may not have been aware of what he achieved when he scored in Al-Nassr’s Saudi Pro League defeat to Al-Qadsiah on January 8. In what ultimately proved to be little more than a consolidation goal, the Portugal international fired home from the penalty spot 10 minutes from full time. It was Ronaldo’s 16th goal of the season for the Saudi club and also now means that the former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward has now scored at least one goal in each of the last 26 years. Which, according to Transfermarkt’s records, puts him just one year off matching the longest goalscoring streak in football history.

So who else makes this list of players that have defied Father Time over the course of their extended careers? Luka Modrić (23 years) and Andrés Iniesta (23 years) lead a group of technically gifted icons whose scoring streaks began in the early 2000s and have stretched across multiple continents. They are joined by the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimović, who maintained his scoring touch for 23 consecutive years until 2023, and evergreen veterans like Joaquín and Robbie Keane. The list also features prolific goal-getters from past eras, such as Silvio Piola and Walter Schachner, both of whom managed 24-year runs, emphasizing the sheer longevity required to even break into the top five of this historic metric.

Moving into the upper echelons, the consistency becomes even more remarkable. Italian icon Alessandro Del Piero sits joint-fourth with 24 years, while the third-place tier is occupied by Francesco Totti, Lukas Podolski, and the Algerian veteran Nassim Akrour, all boasting 25-year scoring streaks. These players represent the gold standard of endurance, having found the back of the net in every calendar year from their debuts well into the twilight of their careers. Podolski’s presence is particularly notable as he remains active, potentially looking to climb further if he can extend his run into the upcoming years.

Remarkably, Ronaldo now sits just one year off top spot but may have to continue playing if he hopes to one day take the record off first-placed Roque Santa Cruz. The Paraguayan striker leads the way with a 27-year streak, beginning in 1999. However, the 44-year-old talisman is still playing to this day for Paraguayan first-tier side Club Nacional Asunción. Whether the centre forward can outlast Ronaldo’s tenure in Saudi remains to be seen, but both players deserve immense credit for playing their part over huge spans of football history.