Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo to be honored by UEFA in Monaco on Thursday as all-time top scorer in the Champions League, with 140 goals in 183 matches.

UEFA announced that the award will be presented by its president, Aleksander Ceferin, during the season opening gala and the draw for the 2024-2025 Champions League, which will feature 36 clubs and eliminate the initial group stage.

The current Al-Nassr player reached the 140-goal milestone over an 18-year career in the Champions League, playing for Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus.

Ronaldo leads the scoring chart by 11 goals over Lionel Messi and 46 over Robert Lewandowski, who are also at the top of the list.

He has been the Champions League top scorer for seven seasons, more than any other player, including eight goals during Manchester United's 2007/08 winning campaign and 15 goals when Real Madrid won their third consecutive title in 2017/18. Ronaldo also holds the record for most goals in a single campaign, with 17 in 2013/14.

Ronaldo has won the Champions League once with Manchester United and four times with Real Madrid. He is the only player to score in three different finals (2008, 2014, and 2017).

He also holds the record for the longest scoring streak, with goals in 11 consecutive matches from June 2017 to April 2018, and has eight hat-tricks.

A five-time Ballon d'Or winner and three-time UEFA Player of the Year, Ronaldo is the top scorer in all UEFA club competitions (145 goals in 197 matches) and the all-time leading scorer in international football (130 goals in 212 matches).

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin praised Ronaldo as "one of the brightest stars in the UEFA Champions League" and noted that his "extraordinary goal-scoring achievements are likely to stand the test of time, presenting an extraordinary challenge to future generations."

"His sustained excellence at the highest level is a testament to his relentless pursuit of individual and team titles. Over more than two decades, he has continuously evolved and refined his game while maintaining his passion for scoring and celebrating goals. His professionalism, work ethic, dedication, and ability to shine on the big stage are qualities that footballers around the world should aspire to emulate," Ceferin added.

Ronaldo's recognition at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco will also include the award of former Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who will receive the UEFA President's Award after a career with the most international caps of all time, 176.

Other UEFA awards will be presented at the Ballon d'Or gala, following the partnership between the organization and Amaury Group, owner of France Football and L'Équipe, to co-organize the gala starting this year.