The all-time leading scorer in international goals for men’s football and Mr. Champions League Cristiano Ronaldo was the main protagonist for his country Portugal again. The 38-year-old Funchal-born Al-Nassr captain and player’s performance in the match was translated into a brace, his 124th and 125th international goals, helping A Seleção das Quinas to defeat Slovakia 3-2 in Matchday 7 of the 2024 UEFA Euro Qualifiers. The triumph was Roberto Martínez’s side’s seventh in as many matches, allowing the 2016 European champions and world no. 8 nation to qualify for the Finals that are set to take place in Germany next summer.
The evergreen Ronaldo played his 200th international game for Portugal when the side took on Iceland three matchdays ago back in June, and the country decided to honour this unparalleled milestone before the home fans at Estádio do Dragão. The 38-year-old Portuguese captain was again selected to lead the attack for Martínez’s men, this time alongside 22-year-old forward Gonçalo Ramos, as the 50-year-old fielded a 4-1-3-2 against Francesco Calzona’s visiting 4-3-3 Slovakia team.
Ronaldo Celebrated Before Home Fans for His 200th International Appearance
Portugal drew first blood 18 minutes after the first whistle of the match was blown, courtesy of Paris Saint-Germain’s new boy Ramos. The former S.L. Benfica striker was the receiving end from Bruno Fernandes’s long ball into the penalty box, after midfielder Bernardo Silva was stripped off the ball by the Slovakian defence and the Manchester United captain quickly dropped his opponent to execute his precise delivery. It was the Olhão-born player’s seventh international goal in nine appearances for his country, since he made his international debut last November.
The home side then doubled their lead about 660 seconds later via a spot kick, when Rafael Leão’s cross hit Denis Vavro’s arm. Ronaldo intelligently sent the goalkeeper and former United teammate Martin Dúbravka to the wrong direction while he was on his way to his 124th international goal. The Portugal skipper could have scored more before the break, had his close-ranged effort and impressive bicycle kick in the 39th minute and 45+1st minute ended in the back of the net. All these meant A Seleção das Quinas took the 2-0 lead into the second 45 minutes.
When play was resumed in the following half, the visiting Slovakia pulled one back from a shoot outside the dangerous zone. In the 69th minute, left-back Dávid Hancko measured his chances and decided to fire a long-ranged strike towards the Portuguese goal. The 25-year-old had to thank Portugal centre-back António Silva for the goal, as the ball brushed the latter’s leg before going past Diogo Costa. His fourth international goal also saw Portugal being scored at for the first time in the qualifying round of the UEFA Euro 2024.
Portugal celebrate Cristiano Ronaldo reaching 200 international appearances. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/22TrtS8JZw
— TC (@totalcristiano) October 13, 2023
Ronaldo Now Has 73 International Goals Since Turning 30
Shortly after Portugal conceded the first time in the 2024 UEFA Euro Qualifiers, their captain Ronaldo restored the team’s two-goal cushion with his 125th international goal. It was the former and current Manchester boys who connected to find Portugal’s third goal of the match, when João Cancelo made an advanced pass into the penalty box and Bruno swiped the ball into the six-yard box. Ronaldo made sure he will not miss this golden opportunity and scored his 125th international goal in 202 appearances for Portugal. The visitors scored another with 10 minutes on the clock, but that was as far as they could go in the match.
The victory was Portugal seventh in as many matches in the 2024 UEFA Euro Qualifiers, shrugging off their disappointing 2022 FIFA World Cup exit against Morocco in Qatar last December. What is more impressive is that the team captain Ronaldo continued to elevate his status in men’s international football in all these wins in 2023. The 38-year-old, who scored two international goals in this match, not only brought his international tally to an insane 125, but his brace last Friday also meant he has now netted 73 international goals since turning 30 more than eight years ago.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s record of 73 international goals after the age of 30 alone is more then the men’s top scorer for 197 nations, including powerhouses in men’s international football namely Germany (Miroslav Klose with 71), Uruguay (Luis Suárez with 68), Ivory Coast (Didier Drogba with 65), Sweden (Zlatan Ibrahimović with 62), England (Harry Kane with 59), Spain (David Villa with 59), USA (Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan with 57 each), Cameroon (Samuel Eto’o with 56), France (Olivier Giroud with 54) and Mexico (Javier Hernández with 52). Ronaldo will have another chance to extend his international goal record, when Portugal is hosted by Bosnia and Herzegovina Bilino Polje for the next Matchday of the 2024 UEFA Euro Qualifiers.
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Portugal, Germany, France, Scotland, Spain, Belgium and Türkiye Qualified for UEFA Euro 2024
Portugal were not the only nation to have qualified for the UEFA Euro 2024 Finals thus far. Apart from Martinez’s men and hosts Germany, five other countries also booked a place in next year’s competitions in the latest rounds of fixtures last weekend, they were two-time FIFA World Cup champions France (Group B winners), three-time European winners Spain (Group A winners), former world no. 1 Belgium (Group F winners), Scott McTominay-led Scotland (Group A runners-up) and world no. 42 side Türkiye (Group D winners).
These seven nations will be joined by more European counterparts in the Finals this week, as the next Matchday of the 2024 UEFA Euro Qualifiers are taking place tonight and tomorrow night. Make your bold prediction on who will make it into the 17 remaining available spots in the Finals down in the comment section below.
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