Cristiano Ronaldo has celebrated after scoring his first goal against Hungary
Cristiano Ronaldo is no stranger to record-breaking achievements, and the Portuguese striker set yet another mark on Tuesday.
The 40-year-old hit the back of the net twice in Portugal’s 2-2 draw against Hungary to become the top goalscorer in FIFA World Cup qualifying history.
Before Tuesday’s match, Ronaldo had shared the previous record (39 goals) with Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz, but he is now out on his own at 41.
“It is no secret that representing the National Team means a lot to me, and that’s why I’m very proud to have reached this unique milestone for Portugal,” Ronaldo wrote on social media Wednesday.
“Thank you to everyone who helped me get here. See you in November to seal the qualification for the World Cup!”
Ronaldo broke the record in the 22nd minute against Hungary when he tapped into an empty net from close range after Nelson Semedo produced a brilliant low cross.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner then extended his record moments before the break, turning in Nuno Mendes’ brilliant cross from close range again.
Ronaldo now boasts 143 international goals for Portugal, extending the men’s international scoring record he broke back in 2021.
However, his two goals on Tuesday weren’t enough to secure a win for his nation, with Magyars midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai equalising in stoppage time in the 91st minute.
It means the Seleção has yet to qualify for next year’s World Cup but is still five points clear of Hungary in Group F of UEFA qualification with two matches left to play.
It will next have the chance to stamp its ticket to the tournament when it plays the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on November 13.
“After the second goal, we slowed down the tempo and they profited,” Portugal left back Mendes told UEFA after Tuesday’s draw.
“We tried to do what we trained for, but we failed. We need to stay focused and, in November, do things correctly.”
England, Ivory Coast, Senegal, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar all qualified for next year’s World Cup on Tuesday, with the tournament set to start on June 11.
So far, 28 of the 48 teams have booked their ticket to North America.
