Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates a goal during the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying round group J match against Liechtenstein at Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal, March 23, 2023. (Getty Images Photo)

In the lead-up to the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship (Euro 2024) hosted by Germany from June 14 to July 14, Portugal’s talismanic captain Cristiano Ronaldo holds the title of the top scorer in the tournament’s history.

Ronaldo, who has scored a total of 14 goals in the championship finals, stands alone at the top in this regard.

Following Ronaldo, France’s legendary Michel Platini ranks second with nine goals.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be appearing in his sixth UEFA European Championship in Euro 2024, scored 14 goals across five tournaments.

Ronaldo scored twice goals in 2004, once in 2008, three times in both 2012 and 2016, and five times in 2020.

Having played a total of 25 matches across five tournaments, Ronaldo spent 2,153 minutes on the field and celebrated scoring 14 times.

Ronaldo scored three of these goals from penalties.

Michel Platini, who held the European Championship goal record for a long time, scored all nine of his goals in a single tournament.

Scoring nine goals in the 1984 European Championship hosted by France, Platini played a leading role in his country’s championship victory.

Platini scored three goals each against Belgium and Yugoslavia, and one goal each against Denmark, Portugal, and Spain.

Following Ronaldo and Platini, three players with seven goals each are Ole Madsen of Denmark, Antoine Griezmann of France and Alan Shearer of England.

Additionally, Wayne Rooney, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Viktor Ponedelnik, Alvaro Morata, Romelu Lukaku, Thierry Henry, Patrick Kluivert, and Nuno Gomes are all players with six goals each.

Among active players, after Ronaldo, 33-year-old Griezmann has scored seven goals, while 31-year-old Lukaku and Morata have scored six goals each.

The Turkish player with the most goals in the European Championship is Semih Şentürk.

Şentürk scored three goals in Euro 2008 Switzerland, Croatia, and Germany, where the Turkish national team achieved its greatest success in the European Championship.