As this post goes to print, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored a staggering 491 goals in his career for club and country (excluding club friendlies). We’ve dug into this vast collection of goals and compiled a list of his very best and most famous, from 40 yard scorchers and swerving free kicks, to mazy runs and imaginative finishes.

So put your feet up, sit back, start scrolling and watch each clip in pure awe and amazement as one of the greatest footballers of all time takes you on a journey through his goalscoring career – and what a career it’s been.

1) 2005 Premier League vs Bolton

It’s hard to believe this guy has been beating defenders and knocking goals in for well over a decade now, but here he is 10 years ago doing just that. The astonishing speed of his stepovers create just enough space to fire the shot home. Not a bad start, Cristiano… not bad at all.

2) 2007 Champions League vs Sporting Lisbon

It’s 1-1, into injury time, against his previous club and a free kick is awarded a good 40 yards from goal. Too far to be any real danger, right? Cristiano says otherwise!

The celebration says it all.

3) 2007 Premier League vs Fulham

A classic winger’s goal here. Picks the ball up well inside his own half, beats 2 men, comes inside – the defenders almost visibly quaking in their boots – and BOOM.

4) 2008 Premier League vs Aston Villa

Ronaldo’s pace is frightening and his quick feet are lightning (I could be a poet!). But that’s not all, as is evident by this bit of genius, his speed of thought is pretty darn impressive, too!

5) 2008 Premier League vs Portsmouth

One of Ronaldo’s most famous goals as it birthed a new way of striking a dead ball. The power and movement he got on the ball was bewildering to most at the time – not least David James in the Portsmouth goal! It’s okay David, I don’t think even Superman on steroids would have saved that bullet.

6) 2009 Champions League Quarter-Final vs Porto

Another iconic Cristiano Ronaldo goal, unsurprisingly. I mean, how do you beat a Champions League goalkeeper from that far out?! How do you hit a ball so hard and still direct it straight into the top corner? HOW IS THIS GOAL EVEN POSSIBLE?

7) 2009 Champions League Semi-Final vs Arsenal

Oh wait, he pretty much did the same thing again… in the very next round of the Champions League. Just if you were suspecting that last one might have been a bit flukey. Nope. He’s just that good.

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Now we enter a new chapter in Ronaldo’s career as he moves to another giant of world football; Real Madrid, where he’s not done too badly either. He’s scored 313 goals in 302 appearances for Los Blancos so far (yep, really!), so we had a fair few to choose from here…

8) 2009 La Liga vs Villarreal

Another great solo effort here. Receives the ball in his own half, expertly turns an opponent, skips past another, creates the space to shoot and then fires home from 20 yards. Top, top stuff.

9) 2010 La Liga vs Villareal

And now for another truly stunning dead ball effort. Ronaldo strikes this ball so powerfully and with such definition that it flies straight as an arrow into the very top corner of the goal.

10) 2010 La Liga vs Almeria

You’re just showing off now, Ronnie. He receives the ball in a very non-threatening position – 6 seconds later, the ball’s in the back of the net. Ronaldo bursts into life, goes past 3 defenders with help from the trusty stepover, and then expertly fires home across the goal.

11) 2012 La Liga vs Rayo Vallecano

More genius stuff from the Portuguese star. Running away from the 6 yard box, he somehow has the speed of thought to hit a powerful and precise back heel in the opposite direction and safely into the bottom corner of the goal.

12) 2012 La Liga vs Levante

Ronaldo is so good at finding that extra yard of space for himself to get a shot away. It’s the actual shot that is generally the extraordinary bit though, and this one is no exception.

The despair on the keeper’s face tells the story, doesn’t it.

13) 2012 La Liga vs Osasuna

He did it again. UNSTOPPABLE. The celebration is great, too… those leg muscles are preeeetty impressive, aren’t they?

14) 2012 Spanish Super Cup vs Barcelona

This list wouldn’t really be complete without a Clasico goal would it? He’s scored a few, but this one is probably his best. The flick to take it away from Gerard Pique, the control to bring it back down and the finish… it’s all great stuff.

15) 2013 Champions League vs Galatasary

Ronaldo shows just how silky his skills are with this goal as his quick feet allow him to wriggle past 3 defenders and fire past the goalkeeper.

16) 2014 La Liga vs Osasuna

This is almost a carbon copy of his 2012 goal against Levante (number 12 in this list). Receives the ball in a not-too-dangerous position, touches the ball inside to give him that extra yard of space and then pings it into the top corner like it’s the easiest thing in the world.

17) 2014 Champions League vs Liverpool

Ronaldo’s individual talent is evident, but this goal (which was voted the best Champions League goal of 2014/15) shows how he can come deep and play a pivotal role in an all-round team goal. The intricate give-and-go’s, the movement, and the lob to finish combine to make this a beautiful goal.

18) 2014 Champions League vs Schalke

Those stepovers again! You have to feel sorry for the defender who doesn’t know if he’s coming or going as Ronaldo breezes past him and powers the ball into the back of the net.

19) 2014 La Liga vs Deportivo

We’re nearly at the end of this list and we haven’t had a single header yet?! For one of the best headers of the ball of his generation, this simply can’t do. This goal against Deportivo is quite superb really as Ronaldo is moving away from goal but still manages to get the power and direction to send the ball over the keeper into the far corner of the net.

20) 2014 La Liga vs Valencia

We finish this list with a truly unique goal that no mere mortal would have the ability to think of, let alone actually pull off. Dubbed the “mule kick”, the ball comes across goal a little behind Ronaldo who, turning away from goal, lifts his right leg and whacks the ball home with the underside of his boot.

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Hope you enjoyed this list as much as we enjoyed putting it together. If we’ve missed any crackers that really deserve to be in this article (there’s bound to be when you’re dealing with an [almost] 500 goal man!), then let us know in the comments!

Hungry for more goals? Why not watch Lionel Messi’s 20 best goals?