It was another regular day in the office for Cristiano Ronaldo as the Portuguese legend once again etched his name in football history. The 40-year-old scored twice in Portugal’s 2-1 win over Hungary at the Estádio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon on Tuesday. With those goals, he became the all-time top goalscorer in World Cup qualifiers.
The brace took his tally to 41 goals in World Cup qualifiers. That is one more than former record-holder Guatemala striker Carlos Ruiz. Portugal endured a shaky start when Attila Szalai put Hungary ahead in the eighth minute. However, Ronaldo repeated what he had done throughout his career.
He stepped up and in the 22nd-minute, scored the equalizer. He broke Ruiz’s record of 39 goals in the competition with that goal. Moments before halftime, Ronaldo struck again with a composed finish, giving Portugal a 2-1 lead. He also extended his own record to 41 goals from 50 World Cup qualifying appearances.
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With this brace, Ronaldo cemented his status as the top scorer in World Cup qualifiers. With that, he also extended his men’s international goal tally to 142, casually showcasing his prowess while donning the Portugal jersey. His performance against Hungary showcased his enduring quality and hunger for goals even at 40.
Ronaldo’s two goals also took his career total to 948 goals. It has left him just two shy of the remarkable 950-goal mark across club and national team. The Portuguese captain’s milestone follows his earlier feat against Armenia. In that match, he equaled Ruiz’s record by netting twice.
Now, by surpassing the Guatemalan great, Ronaldo stands alone atop another prestigious list ahead of many great players in history. Here’s a list of the top five players with most goals in the World Cup qualifiers:
As Portugal march on in their World Cup qualifying campaign, the Al Nassr forward’s consistency and leadership remain central to their ambitions. Four decades into his life, Cristiano Ronaldo is still rewriting football history and showing no signs of slowing down.
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