Cristiano Ronaldo breaks goal-scoring record as Portugal suffers late collapse

While the draw was a setback for Portugal, the night ultimately belonged to Ronaldo. The 40-year-old continues to defy time and expectation, extending his international record to an astonishing 143 goals in 225 appearances for his country.

It adds yet another chapter to an already unparalleled resume that includes being the all-time leading scorer and appearance-maker in men’s international soccer. Across his club and international career combined, Ronaldo has now scored 947 goals.

Despite approaching his 41st birthday, Ronaldo remains Portugal’s driving force under Roberto Martinez, blending experience with elite conditioning to maintain his goal-scoring edge. 

His leadership and relentless hunger were evident throughout the contest, as he urged teammates forward and celebrated every key moment with trademark intensity.

Yet Portugal’s inability to hold on to its advantage served as a reminder that individual brilliance can only carry a team so far. Martínez’s side has shown flashes of dominance in qualifying but will need greater consistency to ensure smooth passage to the 2026 World Cup.

For Ronaldo, however, the night reaffirmed his unmatched longevity and unrelenting pursuit of excellence. Even as Portugal faltered late, the veteran forward once again etched his name into soccer's history books with yet another record for a player who long ago ran out of firsts to achieve, yet keeps finding new ones.