Cristiano Ronaldo continues to score at both the club and international levels. On this occasion, the all-time leading scorer in soccer history converted a penalty for Portugal’s second goal, giving his team the lead over Hungary in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
Portugal fell behind early, trailing 1-0, but they quickly responded thanks to an equalizer from Bernardo Silva. Ronaldo then stepped up from the spot to convert the penalty, putting the reigning European champions ahead and keeping their qualifying hopes on track.
With the goal against Hungary, Cristiano Ronaldo reached 39 goals in World Cup qualifying matches, tying the all-time record alongside Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz. Lionel Messi follows with 36 goals for Argentina, though the Inter Miami captain has confirmed he will no longer play in qualifiers, leaving the path clear for Ronaldo to claim the record outright.
Additionally, the Al Nassr captain remains on track in his pursuit of 1,000 career goals. With this latest strike against Hungary, Ronaldo now has 943 goals, just 57 away from reaching the milestone.
What’s next for Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal?
With this victory, Portugal sit atop Group F with six points after a 5-0 win over Armenia in their opening match. Following this game, Cristiano Ronaldo will not play for the national team again until October, when Portugal resumes their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Portugal’s next matches are scheduled for October 11 against Ireland and October 14 against Hungary, both at home, after starting the campaign with two away fixtures.
