Cristiano Ronaldo continues to defy age and expectations, setting yet another milestone as Portugal drew 2-2 with Hungary in Lisbon.
The 39-year-old scored twice, reaching 41 World Cup qualifying goals, surpassing Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz to become the all-time leading scorer in qualifiers.
Ronaldo’s opener came midway through the first half, smashing into the roof of the net after excellent play from Bernardo Silva, reports National News.
He doubled Portugal’s advantage early in the second half, heading home from close range to record his 130th international goal for Portugal.
Hungary, chasing their first World Cup appearance since 1986, responded strongly as Roland Sallai and Dominik Szoboszlai salvaged a dramatic late draw.
Portugal Forced to Wait for World Cup Qualification
The result leaves Portugal five points clear in Group F, with automatic qualification delayed despite their dominant run under Roberto Martínez.
Elsewhere, Spain continued their perfect start in Group E, cruising past Bulgaria 4-0, with Mikel Merino scoring twice and starring again.
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Italy also boosted qualification hopes with a 3-0 win over Israel, though protests outside the Bluenergy Stadium overshadowed their crucial victory.
Meanwhile, England booked their 2026 World Cup ticket after thrashing Latvia 5-0 in Riga, maintaining a flawless record under Thomas Tuchel.
Ronaldo’s double may not have sealed qualification, but it reaffirmed his legendary status — extending one of football’s greatest international goal-scoring records.
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