Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has set a new personal Champions League record after featuring in his side’s 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich on Tuesday, April 1.

The 33-year-old reached his 152nd appearance in the competition after helping his side edge their Bundesliga opposition 4-3 on aggregate to reach their third straight final.

He became the first outfield player to reach that figure previously held by Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez, who appeared for the Galacticos 151 times.

Meanwhile, current FC Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas holds the record of the player with the most Champions League appearances with 167, while Ronaldo follows closely with just 15 games behind the Spaniard.

The 36-year-old made 150 appearances for the Galacticos before joining the Portuguese topflight side in 2015 – where he has featured 17 times.

Former Real Madrid forward Raul is fourth on the table behind Xavi with 142 matches, while former Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs (141) is in fifth place.

Earlier in the season, Ronaldo became the first player to score in 11 straight Champions League games, a run which ended in the semi-final.

He is also the all-time goal scorer in the competition with 120 goals in total from his 152 appearances, 20 ahead of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.

The Portugal international also holds the top three leading goals scoring record in the UEFA elite competition – 17 in 2013-14, 16 in 2015-16 and 15.

Meanwhile, he has a chance to increase his current tally as he will play in his third straight final against either of Liverpool or AS Roma later this month.

The former Manchester United forward has scored 42 goals in 40 matches in all competitions this season, netting 27 times in his last 19 games in all competitions for Real.

RECORD CL APPEARANCE-MAKERS

• Iker Casillas – 167 (Real Madrid and Porto)
• Cristiano Ronaldo – 152 (Real Madrid and Manchester United)
• Xavi Hernandez- 151 (Barcelona)
• Raul – 142 (Real Madrid and Schalke)
• Andres Iniesta – 130 (Barcelona)

Ronaldo has four Champions League titles to his credit – three with Los Blancos and one Manchester United in the 2007-08 campaign.

Madrid are bidding for a third consecutive Champions League title having become the first team in history to successfully defend the competition last season.

Karim Benzema scored twice at the Bernabeu, taking advantage of an error from Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich to see Madrid through to the final in Kiev.

Ronaldo joined Real Madrid in 2009 in the then record fee of about €94 million and has won two La Liga titles, three Premier Leagues, three UEFA Super Cups among several other domestic and continental trophies.

He won the UEFA European Championship title with his country in 2016 after his side beat France in the final of the competition.

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