Cristiano Ronaldo continues to redefine football’s record
books. The 40 year old Portuguese forward struck twice on Tuesday night in
Portugal’s 2-2 draw against Hungary, becoming the all-time leading scorer in
FIFA World Cup qualifying history with 41 goals surpassing Guatemala’s Carlos
Ruiz, who previously shared the record with him at 39.
Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, calmly
finishing from close range after a sharp low cross from Nelson Semedo. He added
a second before halftime, converting Nuno Mendes delivery to double Portugal’s
advantage & seal yet another milestone in his illustrious career.
“It is no secret that representing the National Team
means a lot to me,” Ronaldo wrote on social media after the match. “I’m very
proud to have reached this unique milestone for Portugal. Thank you to everyone
who helped me get here see you in November to seal qualification for the World
Cup”
Despite Ronaldo’s heroics, Portugal failed to secure the
win, as Hungary’s Dominik Szoboszlai struck deep into stoppage time to level
the score.
The draw delayed Portugal’s qualification but left them 5
points clear at the top of Group F with 2 matches remaining. They will next
face the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on 13th November, with a chance to
officially book their ticket to next year’s World Cup.
With Tuesday’s brace, Ronaldo also extended his men’s
international goal tally to 143, a record he first broke in 2021 &
continues to stretch with each outing. His longevity & consistency remain
unmatched, as he continues to perform at the highest level even at 40.
Portugal defender Nuno Mendes reflected on the result,
admitting the team lost focus after their second goal. “After the second goal,
we slowed down the tempo and they profited,” he said. We tried to do what we
trained for, but we failed. We need to stay focused & in November, do
things correctly.
Meanwhile, 6 other teams England, Ivory Coast, Senegal,
South Africa, Saudi Arabia & Qatar, confirmed their qualification on
Tuesday. With 28 of 48 teams now through, the countdown to the 2026 World Cup
in North America is intensifying.
