Cristiano Ronaldo has tied the record for most goals scored in FIFA World Cup qualifying history, finding the net in Portugal's 3-2 victory over Hungary. The goal, a penalty in the 58th minute, brought his total to 39 goals, equaling the record held by Guatemala's Carlos Ruiz. The milestone is another addition to the 40-year-old's career.
The win keeps Portugal's perfect record intact in the qualifying campaign. Hungary's Barnabas Varga opened the scoring, but Portugal responded with goals from Bernardo Silva and João Cancelo, in addition to Ronaldo's penalty. On Instagram, Ronaldo's message was brief: “Two games, two wins, let’s go Portugal.” The team, coached by Roberto Martinez, is now at the top of Group F.
Ronaldo's penalty came after his shot was handled by an opponent, and the Al Nassr striker calmly converted. His 39 goals now place him three ahead of rival Lionel Messi, who has 36 goals in World Cup qualifying.
As the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football, Ronaldo now has a chance to hold the World Cup qualifying record outright. He will have his next opportunity when Portugal faces Ireland on October 11.
