Cristiano Ronaldo once again wrote his name into the history books as he guided Portugal to a 3-2 victory over Hungary in Budapest on Tuesday night. The veteran forward struck from the penalty spot in the 58th minute, registering his 39th goal in World Cup qualifiers. With that strike, he pulled level with Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz as the joint-top scorer in the competition’s history. The Portugal captain, now 40 years old and still leading from the front, had already found the net twice in the team’s 5-0 demolition of Armenia a few days earlier. His consistency has now moved him three clear of Lionel Messi, who has 36 goals in World Cup qualifying, reigniting the ever-present comparison between the two modern greats. Hungary, however, were not easy opponents. Barnabas Varga netted twice, including the opener, which forced Portugal to chase the game early on. Bernardo Silva sparked the comeback with a thunderous strike to level the score before Ronaldo’s penalty turned the tide. João Cancelo then added a third to seal all three points, ensuring Portugal maintained their perfect start to the campaign with six points from two matches.
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The moment was more than just a goal. Ronaldo’s penalty came after his shot was handled by Loic Nego, and the Al Nassr striker calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way. It underlined not just his quality but also his longevity at the very highest level of international football. On Instagram, the Portuguese skipper summed up his feelings with a short message: “Two games, two wins, let’s go Portugal.” The victory keeps Roberto Martinez’s side top of Group F, ahead of Armenia, who surprised Ireland earlier in the day. For Ronaldo, the record is another reminder of his extraordinary career. Already the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football with 141 goals in 223 games, he now has the chance to stand alone as the most prolific marksman in World Cup qualifying when Portugal face Ireland on October 11.
