Cristiano Ronaldo has set a new record for appearances in the Champions League after starting in Manchester United’s Group F visit from Villarreal.
The Portuguese veteran has now featured 178 times in Europe’s premier competition, overtaking the previous record set by former Real Madrid and FC Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
Ronaldo had 101 Champions League outings for Real Madrid and made a further 23 appearances with Juventus.
Top Champions League appearance holders:
| Rank | Player | Total UCL appearances |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 178 |
| 2 | Iker Casillas | 177 |
| 3 | Lionel Messi | 151 |
| 4 | Xavi | 151 |
| 5 | Raul | 142 |
| 6 | Ryan Giggs | 141 |
| 7 | Karim Benzema | 132 |
| 8 | Andres Iniesta | 130 |
| 9 | Sergio Ramos | 129 |
| 10 | Thomas Muller | 126 |
Ronaldo debuted in the Champions League when he was 18, but it was a surprisingly disappointing evening for the attacker as Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United lost 2-1 at VfB Stuttgart in January 2003.
The 36-year-old didn’t score in the Champions League until April 2007, when he netted twice in a 7-1 rout of Roma. Ronaldo’s since gone on to tally a record 135 Champions League goals.
The midweek clash with Villarreal also marks Ronaldo’s 900th appearance in club football. His scoring record stands at 678 goals in 899 matches before kickoff.