[ad_1]
Cristiano Ronaldo set a new record for most international caps when Portugal played Liechtenstein on Thursday and celebrated the milestone with two record-breaking goals.
Ronaldo, who turned 38 last month, won his 197th cap, surpassing Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa, as he returned to the starting line-up and captained his country in the Euro 2024 Group J qualifiers at the Jose Alvalade Stadium.
He converted a 51st-minute penalty for his first goal against the tiny Alpine kingdom as the home side went 3-0 up after being just one goal ahead at the break. He then scored a free kick in the 63rd minute to make it four for the hosts in Lisbon.
This extended Ronaldo’s record for most goals in international football to 120, although he had previously missed a wonderful opportunity when playing the ball in front of goal and glancing a header wide.
“I like to break records, I have broken many records,” he told reporters on the eve of Thursday’s game, which was the first game for Portugal’s new coach Roberto Martinez.
Ronaldo scored Portugal’s third goal
“I’m looking for commitment,” Martinez said. “And Ronaldo has a great commitment to the national team, is a key figure, and has experience that he can pass on.”
Ronaldo had been benched by former coach Fernando Santos for the last two matches of last year’s World Cup in Qatar when Portugal lost in the quarter-finals against Morocco.
[ad_2]
Source link