"GOAT is cooking", "The greatest to ever do it" - Fans react as Cristiano Ronaldo overtakes Erling Haaland to become top goalscorer in 2023

Fans have reacted to Cristiano Ronaldo overtaking Erling Haaland on Monday (October 16) as the top goalscorer for club and country in 2023.

With his brace for Portugal in their UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Zenica, Ronaldo bagged his 39th and 40th goals of the year to overtake Haaland. The Manchester City forward had drawn a blank on Sunday in Norway's 1-0 home defeat to Spain.

Ronaldo, 38, continues to age like fine wine despite being almost 40 and is in sizzling form for club and country this year. He has scored 31 goals in 35 games for Al-Nassr and nine in seven games for Roberto Martinez's side, all in the ongoing Euro 2024 qualifiers.

Ronaldo's brace in the 3-2 win over Slovakia on Friday confirmed the Selecao's place in the Germany finals next year. Three days later, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner scored his 126th and 127th goals in international football as a rampant Portugal side led 5-0 at the break at the Bilino Polje in Zenica.

Meanwhile, fans have hailed Ronaldo as the 'greatest' to ever do it after overtaking Haaland as the top goalscorer in 2023. One tweeted:

"The GOAT is cooking"

Another chimed in:

"The greatest to ever do it"

Here are some of the top reactions on X, formerly called Twitter:

Ronaldo is now set to appear in a sixth straight European Championship next year in Germany, where he hopes to create more history.

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Notable milestones Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo reached in 2023

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo has been on fire since the turn of the year, achieving a number of notable landmarks along the way, with club and country.

In the UEFA Euro 2024 clash at Ireland in June, Ronaldo became the first male player to make 200 international appearances. The Portugal captain marked the occasion by scoring the game's only goal late on.

In the ongoing 2023-24 season, his strike at Al-Hazem in Al-Nassr's 5-1 Saudi Pro League win made the 38-year-old the first male player to score 850 goals for club and country.

In an off-field accomplishment, Ronaldo bagged the Guiness World Record title for the highest-paid athlete in 2023. He made $136 million ($46 million in salary and $90 million in endorsements) in the 12-month period that ended on May 1, 2023, as per SPORTS BRIEF.