Cristiano Ronaldo is defying all odds at the age of 40 and smashing records. The Portuguese player has scored twice in 2-2 draw against Hungary and he now has 41 goals in World Cup qualifying. He has now surpassed the previous record of 39 held by Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz.
Portugal vs Hungary: Here’s what happened
Even though Ronaldo achieved a personal milestone, Portugal missed a chance to book their ticket for 2026 FIFA World Cup which will be jointly hosted by United States, Canada and Mexico.
The match got off to a rocky start for the hosts in Lisbon as Hungary’s Attila Szalai scored the opening goal for his side in the 8th minute with a header from a Szoboszlai corner after misjudging a header by Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
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Portugal replied in style. Ronaldo scored by tapping in a Nelson Semedo cross in the 22nd minute, evening the game and scoring his 40th World Cup qualifying goal, which at the time set a record for all-time highest.
With seconds to go before half-time, Ronaldo scored again this time tapping in a pinpoint Nuno Mendes cross to take his goal tally for international matches to 143 and overall career total to a staggering 948 goals.
Portugal miss opportunities to prolong lead
Even though they dominated the second half, Portugal could not find a third goal. Both Ruben Dias and Bruno Fernandes hit the woodwork, while substitute João Félix was thwarted by a series of impressive saves from Hungarian ‘keeper Balázs Tóth.
Those missed opportunities proved costly as Szoboszlai equalised in the 91st minute, keeping Hungary’s hopes of finishing top of the group alive. They now sit second in Group F, one point ahead of Republic of Ireland, who edged Armenia 1-0.
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How can Portugal qualify for 2026 FIFA World Cup?
With the draw today, Portugal is still waiting for qualification of FIFA World Cup in 2026. Despite being on top in Group F in European Qualifiers with 10 points in four matches a victory would have sealed their place in the tournament. But now the team focus will shift to the next qualifier on November 14 where they need to win against Ireland to seal its place in the upcoming tournament.
