Cristiano Ronaldo Breaksโค world Cup Qualifying Record, But Hungaryโข Deny Portugal immediate Qualification
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Lisbon, Portugal – In a thrilling encounter in lisbon, Cristiano Ronaldo cemented his legendary status by becoming the all-time leadingโข goalscorer in FIFA World cup โฃQualifying history.โค However, a dramatic late equalizer from Hungary dashed Portugal’s hopes of securing a direct berth to the 2026 World Cup on this FIFA โขdate.
Early Setback, Historic Response
Hungaryโ stunned theโ home crowd early, taking theโค lead in the 8thโข minute thruโข a header fromโ Attila Szalai following aโ corner kickโฃ adn a shaky start for Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa. But the response was swift and decisive, spearheaded by the man himself, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo leveled the score in the โ22ndโ minute, expertly finishing โฃinside the area. This goal marked a historic moment, surpassing all previous players in goals scored during world Cup Qualifyingโ campaigns. โBefore halftime, the Portuguese captain completed the turnaround, powerfully volleying home a stunning cross from Nuno Mendes to โฃgive โPortugal a 2-1 lead.
The Numbers Behind the Legend
At 39 years old, Ronaldo โnow boasts an astonishing 41 goals in World Cup Qualifiers, with opportunities to extend that lead when Portugal travels to Ireland and hosts Armenia in November. His overall career goal tally stands at aโ remarkable 948, comprised of 143 goals for his national team and โฃ805 at โฃthe club level. He remains just 52 goals shy of reaching the milestone of 1,000 career goals.
Late Drama and Delayedโ Qualification
Just as victory seemed assured, Hungary struck back โin stoppage time. Dominic Szoboszlai โข scored aโ late equalizer, denying Portugal the โขoutright qualification they sought.โ This result means Portugal will now have to wait until November โto secure their placeโ at the 2026 world Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Portugal currently tops Group F of the UEFA Qualifiers with 10 points, while Hungary sits in second place with โfive points. The race for qualification remains tight, promising a compelling finish to the campaign.
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