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Cristiano Ronaldo continues to etch his name into football history after matching another record during Portugal’s dramatic win over Hungary in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The Al Nassr star found the net for the 39th time in World Cup qualifying games, drawing level with Guatemala legend Carlos Ruiz as the all-time leading scorer in that category. The goal also placed him three clear of long-time rival Lionel Messi.
At 40 years old, Ronaldo shows no signs of slowing down. His successful penalty at the Puskas Arena on Tuesday pushed his extraordinary international tally to 141 goals in 223 caps.
This is more than any other male player has ever scored for their country.
Hungary went ahead early when Barnabas Varga struck in the 21st minute, but Portugal quickly responded when Bernardo Silva levelled the score 15 minutes later.
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Ronaldo's scores in Portugal win
Ronaldo’s spot-kick shortly after half-time looked to have put Roberto Martinez’s men in control. Yet, Hungary refused to fold. Varga grabbed his second in the 84th minute, setting up a tense finale.
Just when it seemed the hosts had earned a valuable point, Joao Cancelo stepped up with a thunderous strike two minutes later, sealing a 3-2 win for Portugal.
The result keeps Portugal perfect at the start of their qualifying campaign. Only days earlier, Ronaldo had scored twice in a commanding 5-0 victory over Armenia. With two wins from two, Portugal sit comfortably on top of Group F.
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Hungary, meanwhile, have just a single point to show from their opening fixtures, the same as the Republic of Ireland, who slipped to a 2-1 defeat in Armenia.