Euro 2024: Cristiano Ronaldo looking to break fresh Euros goalscoring record

Naturally, a little biological luck and some iron discipline always helps, but such has been the improvement in sports science, nutrition and conditioning, many players can mix it with opponents less than half their age.

A notable case in point saw 16-year-old Lamine Yamal and 38-year-old Luka Modric share a pitch during Saturday's Euro 2024 action.

The poster boy for this new - or old - breed of player is undoubtedly Cristiano Ronaldo. Even though he no longer plays amongst Europe's elite at club level, the Portugal icon still has bags of goals in him.

The next one could be amongst his most important though, as a strike at any point during Euro 2024 would see him become the first player aged 39 or over to score in the competition's history.

Ronaldo's latest attempt at a goalscoring feat never achieved by anyone else before is expected to come in Tuesday's showdown with Czech Republic, and with that in mind, here Sports Mole looks at the current five oldest scorers in Euros history.

Who are the oldest goalscorers in Euros history?

5. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal (36y 138d)

Ronaldo is already sure to make history at Euro 2024 as he appears in an unprecedented sixth edition of the tournament, 20 years on from making his Euros debut on home soil.

The Portugal star scored from the bench in a group-stage defeat against Greece in 2004, before going on to lose to the same opposition in the final, but while his first taste of the European Championship ended in heartbreak, it was only the beginning of his story in the tournament.

Now comfortably the all-time leading scorer in European Championships, Ronaldo's last Euro goal came at the age of 36 years and 138 days at Euro 2020, when he netted a second penalty against France to draw 2-2 against the then-world champions.

Unfortunately for him, Ronaldo's efforts were in vain, as they missed out to Germany on qualification from the group stage on their head-to-head record.

Two decades on from that debut goal against Greece, Ronaldo could become the tournament's oldest-ever scorer, knocking his 36-year-old self off this list in the process, as he will be aged 39 years and 134 days in Portugal's opening group fixture against the Czech Republic.

4. Gareth McAuley, Northern Ireland (36y 194d)

The only defender in the top five, Northern Ireland centre-back Gareth McAuley scored one of the biggest goals in Northern Irish history eight years ago, netting against Ukraine at Euro 2016 aged 36 years and 194 days.

Chris Brunt delivered a teasing set piece from deep on the left towards the back post, allowing McAuley to power through the penalty area and crash a header over the helpless Andriy Pyatov.

Niall McGinn added a second to secure Northern Ireland's first ever win at the European Championship, crowning a truly vintage period for the British Isles' smallest nation. McAuley came back to the UK and played out two more seasons, one at West Bromwich Albion and another at Rangers, before calling it a day aged 38.

3. Zoltan Gera, Hungary (37y 62d)

Another West Bromwich Albion veteran, Zoltan Gera scored a surprise opener against eventual champions Portugal at Euro 2016 for Hungary. The Magyars played out a back-and-forth 3-3 draw in a frenetic game, but Gera's opener was the pick of the bunch.

Portugal failed to adequately clear a Hungarian corner and the ball dropped to Gera, who cut across itl with his weaker left foot. By luck or skill, that sent the ball fading perfectly into the bottom-right corner beyond a helpless Rui Patricio.

Gera was aged 37 years and 62 days at the time, and had returned to Ferencvaros in his home country when he scored. The draw was essential to Hungary clinching top spot in their group, for what was their best performance at the Euros in over 40 years.

2. Goran Pandev, North Macedonia (37y 322d)

One of the most romantic things about international football is how players from smaller nations can drag their countries to the biggest stages.

Welsh winger Gareth Bale is one prominent example of course, but a less well-known one is Goran Pandev, and his single-minded determination to take North Macedonia to the Euros.

Pandev is his nation's record appearance-maker and goalscorer, and like Ronaldo, he has served his national team for two decades. The former Inter Milan striker's goals fired North Macedonia to the 2020 Euros, and he then scored against Austria in a 3-1 defeat, aged 37 years and 322 days.

Pandev retired from international duty after the tournament, but played one more season in Italy, appearing for Genoa and Parma.

1. Ivica Vastic, Austria (38y 257d)

Topping our list is the relatively little-known Ivica Vastic, who scored co-host Austria's first-ever European Championship goal in 2008, when he was aged 38 years and 257 days.

Vastic was a shock inclusion in the Austria squad, having not been selected since 2005, but given that he had scored a crucial goal at the 1998 World Cup - when he equalised against Chile - the intent to make him an 'impact substitute' did make some sense.

Make an impact he did; with defeat looming, Vastic scored a crucial equaliser against Poland in the 93rd minute, slotting a penalty away from Artur Boruc. Vastic broke the existing record for the oldest scorer by over four years, overtaking Portugal striker Nene.

The Yugoslavian-born striker would play one more season at club level after the tournament, scoring five more goals for LASK Linz in the Austrian Bundesliga, but this record-breaking strike was his one and only goal at the Euros.

When could Cristiano Ronaldo break the record?

Given that he will be supplied by the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, there is good reason to think Ronaldo will break this record at Euro 2024, especially considering he already has five more goals than any other player in Euros history (14).

The Al-Nassr man was also back to his fearsome best in qualifying, scoring 10 goals as Portugal romped to the tournament finals with the only perfect qualifying record.

Ronaldo's first chance to add the accolade of oldest Euros goalscorer ever to his length list of personal achievements will come on Tuesday, June 18, when his Portugal side begin their campaign against Czech Republic in Leipzig.

The 2016 champions will then face Turkey on June 22 and tournament debutants Georgia on June 26, with any goal Ronaldo scores throughout the tournament guaranteed to break the previous record.

However, one of his Portugal teammates could still deny him top spot in this list, with the 41-year-old centre-back Pepe sure to end the tournament as it's oldest ever scorer if he finds the back of the net.