USMNT Star Matches Cristiano Ronaldo's Legendary Champions League Clutch Goal Milestone
The roster of the most decisive Champions League scorers is unsurprisingly topped by the competition's leading marksman, Cristiano Ronaldo. Manchester City legend Sergio Agüero can equal the Portuguese superstar, and now a particular Ricardo Pepi has entered this exclusive circle.
The U.S. men's national team (USMNT) prospect netted his third crucial injury-time strike in European club football's premier continental competition on Tuesday night, securing a 1–1 tie for PSV Eindhoven in the 93rd minute during their visit to Olympiacos. Pepi has developed a knack for producing magic moments on significant European occasions.
Pepi's inaugural Champions League strike was a 92nd-minute match-winner versus Sevilla in November 2023. The Texas-born striker had only been on the field for roughly 10 minutes when he headed home, capping off a stunning comeback after PSV had been down by two goals.
The Dutch side also found themselves trailing 2–0 to Shakhtar Donetsk during last season's group stage. Fellow American forward Malik Tillman netted twice in the closing two minutes of regulation before Pepi emerged with another decisive goal as the clock showed 95 minutes.
Ricardo Pepi's Decisive Champions League Strikes
Campaign / Opposition | Result | Time |
|---|---|---|
2023–24 / Sevilla (A) | 3–2 W | 90+2 |
2024–25 / Shakhtar Donetsk (H) | 3–2 W | 90+5 |
2025–26 / Olympiacos | 1–1 D | 90+3 |
Throughout the 33-year existence of the Champions League in its current structure, no player can surpass Pepi's record of three strikes in added time that positively altered the outcome, according to Opta.
Ronaldo's overall European goal tally may overshadow Pepi—and every other competitor—yet merely three of his 140 strikes in the tournament meet the decisive late-goal standard. Fascinatingly, all three of his game-changing late strikes came while wearing Manchester United colors. During his initial stint at Old Trafford, Ronaldo memorably crushed his childhood club Sporting CP with a devastating injury-time free-kick in 2007.
Fourteen years, five championships and two different teams (Real Madrid and Juventus) passed before Ronaldo's subsequent late Champions League winner. Returning to Old Trafford, but now under his former colleague Ole Gunnar Solskjær's guidance, Ronaldo pounced on a scrappy opportunity against Villarreal, racing toward the corner flag as the Theatre of Dreams exploded into sustained chants of "Viva Ronaldo!" that continued well beyond the final whistle.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Decisive Champions League Strikes
Campaign / Opposition | Result | Time |
|---|---|---|
2007–08 / Sporting CP (H) | 2–1 W | 90+3 |
2021–22 / Villarreal (H) | 2–1 W | 90+5 |
2021–22 / Atalanta (A) | 2–2 D | 90+1 |
"Sometimes it isn't about 'move it here, move it there,' it's the atmosphere—and they've absorbed it previously—and when Cristiano is on the field, you always possess an opportunity. He excels in front of goal and influences everyone around him," Solskjær enthused. "That's what occurs at Old Trafford."
It can similarly unfold in Bergamo.
Just a month following his heroics versus Villarreal, Ronaldo secured a 91st-minute leveler during an away fixture at Atalanta. Solskjær, whose managerial journey appears to be an extended tribute to nostalgia, invoked memories of basketball's ultimate pressure performer. "We each have our duties and obligations," the manager smiled. "He leads by example.
"He delivers those special moments. I'm certain the Chicago Bulls appreciated having Michael Jordan."
Now there's an emerging American talent who merits comparison to Ronaldo.