In Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Croatia, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 900th career goal.

The 39-year-old icon of Real Madrid and Manchester United is the only player in history to accomplish the feat.

And when he scored the six-yard tap-in off a cross from Nuno Mendes, he broke down in tears on the Lisbon ground.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored for Portugal to bring up 900 goals in his careerCredit: EPA

He dropped to the floor in an emotional state at achieving the feat

It follows his announcement last week that he wants to retire after accomplishing 1000 goals.

Declaring on his brand-new YouTube channel: “I’m going to hit 900 soon, and then I’ll surpass 1,000.”

The goal machine was mobbed by Portugal team-mates

“I wish to accomplish 1,000 goals. This is the most crucial thing to me if I’m not injured. That’s what I desire.

“In football, it’s the best marker I can have. One thing will be different: I can demonstrate my ambitions with movies for each one.”

Some people believe Pele to be the greatest goal scorer of all time; FIFA lists the late hero from Brazil as having scored 1,281 goals.

Even for the ex-Man Utd, Real and Juve hero, it was a lot to take inCredit: EPA

Ronaldo couldn’t hold back the emotion after his latest landmark

However, the Guinness World Record holder from Brazil gathered his wealth through around 550 exhibition and amateur matches.

His 762 official career matches have given rise to a long-running discussion about which records are the most reliable.

After scoring five goals at Sporting Lisbon to begin his career, Ronaldo went on to score 118 goals in 292 games for Manchester United.

Then, in 438 appearances across his nine years at Real Madrid, he scored an incredible 450 goals.

After spending three seasons with Juventus, he scored an additional 101 goals. He then scored 27 more goals during his second tenure at Old Trafford.

After joining Al-Nassr, he then relocated to Saudi Arabia and scored 68 in 74 games.

In 212 games for Portugal, he has scored 131 goals at the international level.

He was harshly critiqued for his efforts in this summer’s Euros, nevertheless, in spite of his incredible record of goals scored for his nation and his victory at Euro 2016.

He is the first player in history to reach 900 career goalsCredit: EPA

Ronaldo took the plaudits at the Luz stadium in Lisbon after making it 2-0

Portugal lost all five of its games and was ousted in the quarterfinals by France despite Ronaldo’s lack of a goal.

Ronaldo’s goal on Thursday night in Portugal’s Nations League match against Croatia was their second of the game after Manchester United full-back Diogo Dalot gave them the lead.

Dalot then scored at the opposite end, but Portugal managed to hold on for a 2-1 triumph.