Cristiano Ronaldo has been honoured with an award for being the all-time top scorer in the Champions League, having netted 140 goals in Europe’s elite competition.

The Portuguese star received the award ahead of the inaugural League Round draw in Monaco, presented by UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin. Upon receiving the honour, Ronaldo expressed his delight: “For me, it is a pleasure to be here. This award means a lot to me. The Champions League is the pinnacle of football, the records speak for themselves, but playing in this competition is something special. It is great to be here, I have fond memories every time I come to Monaco for this gala.”

Although Ronaldo is no longer playing in the Champions League, as he now plays for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr, he cherishes his memories of the competition.

“Our life is made of memories and I have very good memories. Let’s see what the future holds. We always mention the first [victory], it’s the most special. I remember when I was at Manchester [United], I scored in the final, I missed a penalty and it was very special.”

As he mentioned, Ronaldo won the Champions League with Manchester United in 2008 when the Red Devils beat Chelsea on penalties in the final. Additionally, he has won the competition on four occasions with Real Madrid – in 2013-14, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18.

Ronaldo also played in the Champions League for Juventus.

Lionel Messi, who has maintained a rivalry with Ronaldo throughout their careers, is the second highest scorer in Champions League history with 129 goals. Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski is third with 94 goals.