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Varane: Why Ronaldo loves the Champions League

Ronaldo became the leading goalscorer in men’s professional football on Saturday when he scored a hat-trick in the 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

It was his 59th career treble and his first for United for 14 years. Cristiano is famously also the top marksman in Champions League history, with 141 goals in 186 games – a tally which has heavily contributed to the five titles he has won.

The 37-year-old has often risen to the occasion in Europe’s top-tier competition, including for United this season, and Varane believes there’s something about the tournament and the attention given to it that spurs his team-mate on.