With a record-setting 125th international goal, Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal to a 3-2 victory against Slovakia and into the European Championship in 2024.
The forward has now earned 200 caps for his national team and was recognized before the game.
Ronaldo scored his first goal 11 minutes after Goncalo Ramos put Roberto Martinez’s team ahead from the penalty spot at Estadio do Dragao.
In June 2021, the 38-year-old scored twice against the Republic of Ireland, moving him two goals ahead of Iran’s Ali Daei in the all-time list of international goals scored.
Late in the second half, Slovakia’s David Hancko scored for the first time in EURO qualifying, but Ronaldo quickly answered with his second goal of the game, finishing off a low cross from his former Manchester United teammate Bruno Fernandes.
On a rainy night in Porto, Stanislav Lobotka scored the game-winning goal for the visitors. Portugal, though, had their night as they secured their spot in the event that will be held next summer.
After a lackluster showing at the 2022 World Cup and a subsequent relocation to the Saudi Pro League, Ronaldo appeared to have waved farewell to the international arena.
He has scored seven times in six games for his country so far this year, and 73 of his 125 career goals have come since he turned 30.
Martinez, who took over as manager in January, has won all seven of his matches thus far and will be looking to keep his perfect record intact on Monday, when they take on Bosnia and Herzegovina.
