Even though Manchester United lost a crucial game to Arsenal on Saturday in the Premier League, Cristiano Ronaldo reached a landmark. The Portuguese maestro became the latest to score 100 goals in the Premier League, becoming the 33rd player to do so. This season alone, the likes of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Raheem Sterling entered the 100 club and on Saturday, Ronaldo followed suit.
Given his goalscoring exploits throughout the past decade and more, for some it is a bit surprising to see the Man United star reach this milestone so late. Ronaldo scored 84 goals in his first stint at the club, before moving for a record-breaking deal to Real Madrid. Despite having a bad season which will end trophy less, he has managed to score on a regular basis to notch his 100th goal this season. Here’s a list of when the currently active centurions reached the milestone.
Harry Kane (178 goals) – vs Liverpool, February 2018
The 2017/18 season remains Kane’s most prolific season in the competition. He broke many records that season, including Alan Shearer’s record of most goals in a calendar year. His 100th goal came when he netted a stoppage time penalty to earn a 2-2 draw with Liverpool at Anfield.
Jamie Vardy (128 goals) – vs Crystal Palace, July 2020
Vardy scored his 100th and 101st goals in a 3-0 win against Crystal Palace, bizarrely in the month of July. The 2019/20 season had halted in March due to the first Covid outbreak and resumed in June. This was also the season when Vardy won is first Golden Boot, becoming the oldest player to win it.
Mohamed Salah (119 goals) – vs Leeds, September 2021
Although most fans will remember his 100th Premier League goal as the one he netted in the 3-3 draw against Brentford, he achieved the milestone two weeks earlier against Leeds. Salah’s 2 goals for Chelsea are often overlooked, and his 100th in the competition came against Leeds. The goal against Brentford was his 100th in the league for Liverpool.
Sadio Mane (109 goals) – vs Watford, October 2021
Just a month after his teammate Salah, Mane also joined the 100 club. He scored the opener in a 5-0 masterclass away at Watford, becoming the third African to get to a century. Mane also holds the record for Premier League’s quickest hattrick, achieved in his Southampton days.
Raheem Sterling (107 goals) – vs Wolves, December 2021
Sterling’s 100th goal in the Premier League came from the penalty spot at home to Wolves. It was the only goal of the game and helped City get three important points. Sterling started his career at Liverpool and was part of that Liverpool team that nearly missed out to Man City. He later switched alliances and became an integral part of Pep Guardiola’s team.
This season saw four players reach their landmark, but it could be a while before the next player reaches it. There is no active player in the 90s, and the next likely man to make his mark is Heung-min Son. The Korean has 87 goals and is set to become the 34th player to become a centurion. Crystal Palace’s Cristian Benteke is on 86, but he needs to rediscover his form if he’s to score more frequently. Theo Walcott and Riyad Mahrez are on 78 and 77 goals respectively.