Cristiano Ronaldo, widely regarded as one of football’s greatest goal scorers, added another record to his illustrious career by scoring twice for Portugal in their FIFA World Cup qualifier against Hungary on Tuesday. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, but Ronaldo’s performance highlighted his enduring prowess on the international stage.
The 40-year-old opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a close-range finish, marking his 40th goal in World Cup qualifiers and surpassing former Guatemalan striker Carlos Ruiz. Ronaldo then doubled his tally during first-half stoppage time, extending his record to 41 goals in 50 World Cup qualifying appearances.
Unmatched International Records
Beyond his World Cup qualifying feats, Ronaldo holds numerous records in international football, including:
Most international goals in history: 143
Most appearances for a men's national team: 215+
Most goals in European Championship history: 14
Despite playing more qualifiers, Lionel Messi ranks third with 36 goals in 72 World Cup qualifying matches for Argentina, highlighting Ronaldo’s exceptional scoring consistency.
Match Overview
Portugal looked poised to secure a crucial win, with Ronaldo leaving the field in the 78th minute with the score at 2-1. However, Hungary equalized in stoppage time through Dominik Szoboszlai, denying Portugal an early qualification for the 2026 World Cup with two group matches remaining.
Portugal’s Standings and Coach’s Remarks
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez acknowledged the lapse in the final minutes: “We didn't manage the game in the last 10 minutes well enough. If you don't kill the game, you need to know how to manage it until the end. Today we stopped playing and Hungary equalized.”
Despite the draw, Portugal tops Group F with 10 points, five clear of Hungary, keeping their World Cup hopes very much alive. Ronaldo celebrated the milestone on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “We are getting closer to our goal! Let's go, Portugal.”
With two remaining qualifiers, Portugal will aim to maintain their dominance in Group F while Ronaldo continues his pursuit of historic records in men’s international football.
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