Cristiano Ronaldo, known for thriving in significant moments, once again showcased his prowess by securing a victory on a special evening when he was honored for his 200th international appearance. The Al-Nassr forward was presented with a Guinness World Records certificate, acknowledging his achievement as the male player with the highest number of international caps. Bader Al-Mutawa, capped 196 times by Kuwait, comes closest to Ronaldo's remarkable record.
Winning goal on grand occasion
In a fitting tribute to the occasion, Ronaldo sealed the victory for Portugal in the 89th minute with a typical goal, as they triumphed 1-0 against Iceland. The opposing team had been reduced to ten men following the dismissal of Willum Thor Willumson. Demonstrating his predatory instincts, the 38-year-old pounced on Goncalo Inacio's header to find the back of the net and celebrated exuberantly. Initially flagged for offside in the buildup, the goal was eventually granted after a VAR review.
Records galore
Having made his senior debut for Portugal in August 2003 against Kazakhstan, Ronaldo has not only accumulated an impressive number of international appearances but also holds the record for the most goals scored by a Portuguese player, with 123 to his name. His international success includes winning the European Championship with Portugal in 2016 and achieving victory in the Nations League in 2019.
Prior to the match against Iceland, Ronaldo expressed his thoughts, as reported by ESPN.
'Two hundred games played proves the love I have for my country.
'For me it is an extremely important milestone. It means a lot. [Two hundred] is a beautiful number that [no men's player] has.
'I'm very proud because this is something I never thought I could reach. And I'm continuing to set records.'
During the previous year's World Cup held in Qatar, Ronaldo accomplished a groundbreaking feat by becoming the first male player to score in five separate World Cups. In addition, he holds a remarkable record for the highest number of international hat-tricks, having achieved this impressive feat ten times.
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