Zinedine Zidane will be looking to Cristiano Ronaldo to inspire his Real Madrid side to victory in the Champions League final against Juventus this evening.
The Portuguese forward has been incredible in Real’s run to their third final in four years, scoring 10 goals in the competition this season.
Ronaldo became the first player in history to score 100 Champions League goals when he netted a hat-trick against Bayern Munich in April.
The 32-year-old has since taken his tally to 103 goals - he scored another hat-trick in the first leg semi-final win over Atletico Madrid - and he insists he always knew he would become the first player to reach a century.
The only current player who could have stopped him was Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, who is currently on 94 Champions League goals.
“I always believed I would be the first player in Champions League history to score 100 goals,” he told UEFA ahead of tonight’s final, via the Daily Mail.
“I did it. It was a goal that I set myself at the beginning of the season and, thanks to God, I achieved it.
“I would obviously like to thank all my team-mates, the coach, all the staff and all the Real Madrid fans.”
Humble and brilliantly talented. A good combination, that.
Record-breaker
Ronaldo also set the record for most goals in Europe’s major leagues when he surpassed Jimmy Greaves’ record of 366 strikes in May.
And there’s no doubt more records will tumble before Ronaldo is said and done.
Seven records Ronaldo can set vs Juventus
Courtesy of the Mirror, here are seven records the former Manchester United star could break in this evening’s match against Juventus.
1. Become the first player to score in three Champions League finals
Ronaldo scored for Man United in the 2008 final against Chelsea and also found the back of the net in last year’s win over Atletico Madrid.
Sergio Ramos could also achieve this record. The Madrid captain scored in the 2014 and 2016 finals.
2. Beat Lionel Messi to top scorer in this season’s competition
Messi scored 11 goals in the 2016-17 Champions League, including hat-tricks against Celtic and Manchester City, before Barcelona’s exit to Juventus in the quarter-finals.
So Ronaldo needs a brace to overtake his rival.
3. Record the most hat-tricks in Champions League history
Gianluigi Buffon has been beaten just three times in the tournament this season in 12 matches.
But if any player can score a hat-trick past him, it’s Ronaldo.
The forward is tied at the top with Messi on seven hat-tricks in Champions League competition.
4. Become the top scorer in more Champions League campaigns than any other player
Should Ronaldo surpass Messi’s tally this season, he will become the only player to have finished top of the Champions League scoring charts on six different seasons.
He’s currently tied on five with Messi.
5. Finish top of the Champions League assist charts for this season
Now, this will be tricky.
Ronaldo has provided six assists so far in Europe. Not bad, but it’s not as impressive as Neymar’s eight.
So he needs two goals to match the Barca star and three to beat him. Good luck.
6. Become just the 20th player to win four or more European Cups
The Portugal international won the Champions League with Man United in 2008 and again with Los Blancos in 2014 and 2016.
Should he win it for a fourth time, he will match Messi’s haul.
7. Will jump to fourth on the all-time Champions League appearances list
Ronaldo will tie Raul’s record of 144 appearances when he takes to the Principality Stadium pitch this shortly.
Only Ryan Giggs (151), Xavi (157) and Iker Casillas (168) have played more matches.