Pursuing New Milestones
©IMAGO
On Tuesday evening, Portugal faced a challenging match in Budapest, securing all three points against a skilled Hungarian team. Roberto Martínez’s squad fell behind in the 21st minute but rallied to score two goals in response. Despite conceding a second goal to Barnabás Varga late in the match, Portugal managed to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory, making it a proud moment for the traveling fans. However, this match brought more than just a win to celebrate.
Just before the hour mark, Portugal was awarded a penalty, allowing them to take a 2-1 lead, and as expected, Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to take it. With a powerful strike into the lower left corner of the net, he left the goalkeeper with no chance, marking his 141st goal in 223 appearances for his country. But this goal was significant for another reason, once again carving Ronaldo’s name into football history for future generations to admire.
Before Tuesday’s match, Ronaldo was only one goal shy of the record for most goals in World Cup qualifying matches. This record, held by the legendary Carlos Ruiz of Guatemala, stood at an impressive 39 goals in 47 games over 16 years. That record had remained untouched for exactly nine years and two days until Ronaldo matched it with his 39th goal in 49 matches. If Ronaldo plays in Portugal’s next qualifying match against Ireland next month and scores, he will claim the record for the most goals in qualifying matches in football history.
It’s no surprise that Ronaldo is being pursued by several top scorers from around the world. Uruguay’s Luis Suárez is currently trailing behind with 29 goals in 64 matches for his nation, while Poland’s Robert Lewandowski has netted 32 goals in 41 qualifying games. The most prominent challenger to Ronaldo’s newly-minted record is Lionel Messi, who has scored 36 goals in 72 qualifying matches for Argentina. However, after missing Argentina’s 1-0 loss to Ecuador, the 38-year-old will have to wait until next year to continue his pursuit in this competition.
