By Martin Graham
Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice in Portugal’s 2–2 home draw against Hungary on Tuesday night, reaching another remarkable milestone in his storied international career.
The 40-year-old converted both of Portugal’s goals in Lisbon, surpassing every player in history for the most goals scored in World Cup qualifying matches.
Portugal fight back after early setback
Hungary stunned the home crowd by taking the lead at the Estádio José Alvalade, but the hosts responded swiftly. Fourteen minutes later, Ronaldo reacted quickest inside the penalty area, turning in Nélson Semedo’s dangerous delivery to restore parity.
Just before the interval, the Portuguese captain struck again. A well-timed run allowed him to meet Nuno Mendes’ precise cross, giving Roberto Martínez’s side a deserved lead going into halftime.
However, Portugal’s perfect qualifying campaign was halted late on. In added time, Dominik Szoboszlai found an equalizer for the visitors, forcing the group leaders to settle for a single point.
Record rewritten at the top of the charts
Heading into the match, Ronaldo was level with former Guatemala striker Carlos Ruiz on 39 goals in World Cup qualifiers. His double against Hungary took him to 41, putting him alone at the summit of the all-time standings.
Behind him, Lionel Messi remains third on the list with 36 goals, while Robert Lewandowski has room to climb further when Poland resumes their qualifying schedule in November.
Near miss turned into historic achievement
Ronaldo had a chance to break the record earlier in the campaign but saw a penalty saved by Caoimhin Kelleher in Portugal’s previous match. He did not let the opportunity slip this time, converting both of his chances to set a new benchmark.
The veteran attacker has now netted 143 times for his country, bringing his career tally to 948 goals. His pursuit of 1,000 career goals and a long-coveted World Cup triumph continues as he extends his extraordinary international journey.
