The five oldest goalscorers in European Championship history | OneFootball

Cristiano Ronaldo kicks off his record-extending sixth European Championship this evening and international football’s leading scorer will be aiming for another record.

The Portugal captain is one of several players who can become the oldest goalscorer at a European Championship if he finds the net this summer, ahead of his nation’s opening fixture against the Czech Republic.

Ahead of that clash, we’ve ranked the five oldest goalscorers in Euros history.

5. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal vs France on 23 June 2021) – 36 years, 138 days old

Ronaldo comes in at number five on the current list, fractionally ahead of fellow Ballon d’Or winners Luka Modric and Andriy Shevchenko.

The Portuguese superstar became the first player to feature at – and score in – five different editions of the European Championship in 2021, at the delayed Euro 2020. Ronaldo scored five times during Portugal’s campaign to win the Golden Boot and became the outright leading scorer in Euros history (14), ahead of Michel Platini.

A brace of penalties against France in the group stage saw Ronaldo score aged 36 years and 138 days.

4. Gareth McAuley (Northern Ireland vs Ukraine on 16 June 2016) – 36 years, 194 days old.

Northern Ireland qualified for the European Championship for the first time in 2016 and reached the Round of 16.

Gareth McAuley’s goal set Michael O’Neil’s side on their way to a 2-0 win over Ukraine in the group stage, a result that sealed their passage to the knockout rounds.

3. Zoltán Gera (Hungary vs Portugal on 22 June 2016) – 37 years, 61 days old.

The former Fulham midfielder found the net against Portugal at Euro 2016, aged 37 years and 61 days.

Gera opened the scoring with a stunning strike in a thrilling group-stage showdown between the teams that saw Portugal equalise three times in an eventual 3-3 draw in Lyon. Only three players have ever won more caps for Hungary than Gera (97) whose international career spanned 15 years.

2. Goran Pandev (North Macedonia vs Austria on 13 June 2021) – 37 years, 321 days old.

North Macedonia’s record scorer netted the goal that sealed his nation’s place at a major tournament for the first time, as the Lions beat Georgia in a play-off to reach Euro 2020.

At the tournament, he fittingly scored North Macedonia’s first goal in a major finals after capitalising on a defensive mistake to find the net in a 3-1 defeat to Austria.

Pandev – who won a Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League treble with Inter Milan in 2009-10 – retired following the tournament with 38 goals from 122 caps.

1. Ivica Vastic (Austria vs Poland on 12 June 2008) – 38 years, 257 days old.

Ivica Vastic holds the record as the European Championship’s oldest goalscorer having returned from an international exile to score at Euro 2008.

Vastic has not featured for Austria for two-and-a-half years before the veteran was recalled ahead of the tournament and made his mark.

A stoppage-time penalty earned Austria a 1-1 draw with Poland in the group stage as Vastic converted his country’s first-ever goal at a European Championship.

His record-breaking moment saw him eclipse former Portugal striker Nene as the tournament’s oldest scorer, a record that had stood since 1984.

Read – The top ten fastest goals in Euros history: Bajrami, Shaw, Shearer

See more – The youngest players in Euros history as Lamine Yamal breaks two records

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