9 years after Guatemalan Carlos Ruiz became the all-time top scorer in World Cup qualifiers after surpassing Iranian Ali Daei on September 6, 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo reached the top of the list this Tuesday by scoring his 39th goal in World Cup qualifying matches during the match between Portugal and Hungary.

The Commander scored his 943rd career goal from the penalty spot, which this afternoon meant the second goal for his team, in the match corresponding to the second day of the 2026 World Cup qualifying phase, against a team that closed up very well and knew how to come out on the counterattack to make things difficult for the recent Nations League champion.

Hungary took the lead in the 20th minute, Bernardo Silva scored the equalizer before halftime. Cristiano scored a penalty and the Hungarians, with a double from Varga, tied the game in the 83rd minute, although Cancelo scored the final goal 2-3 in the 85th minute.

The match began with the Hungarian team, managed by former Italian footballer Marco Rossi, determined to defend as a whole at the back in an attempt to quickly counterattack. Meanwhile, Portugal were gaining possession to play the way Spanish coach Roberto Martinez likes.

With control of the match, the Portuguese were finding space on both flanks, with good connections between Bernardo Silva and Cancelo on the right, and Nuno Mendes and Pedro Neto on the left.

The first clear chance came for Portugal in the 6th minute with a precise cross from Cancelo to the penalty spot, where Bruno Fernandes failed to finish.

However, Portugal could not find any clarity in attack, despite having possession of the ball, and it was the Hungarians who opened the scoring in the 20th minute on a counterattack.

They stole the ball in the defensive half, quickly came out, crossed to the penalty spot and the experienced Fernecvaros striker, Barnabas Varga, headed it in just wide of the post, making Diogo Costa's save impossible.

The Portuguese response came in the 30th minute, with a good move down the right flank, which Ronaldo finished easily inside the six-yard box but was saved with a display of reflexes by Blackburn's Hungarian goalkeeper, Balazs Toth. Two minutes later, a clear chance for Joao Neves, who controlled the ball alone inside the box, brought it down with his chest, and shot easily but it was saved, again, by Balazs Toth.

In the 34th minute, with a crazier game, Hungary could have extended their lead if Nagy had shot accurately on a counterattack in which he received a pass inside the area that he failed to capitalize on. Two minutes later Bernardo Silva equalized.

The second half began with the same players and a similar position on the pitch, with Portugal playing and dominating the ball and Hungary waiting behind.

The key play of the match came in the 55th minute, after a corner kick taken by Bruno Fernandes and finished by Cristiano Ronaldo inside the area. The ball hit Nego's hand and the referee, the Belgian Lambrechts, blew the penalty.

Cristiano converted in the 57th minute from eleven meters. At 40 years old, it is his 141st goal for the Portuguese national team and his 943rd as a professional.

With the game in hand, Martinez brought Bruno Fernandes off the field and relied on the creativity of Sporting Portugal winger Francisco Trincao in the 66th minute.

After Portugal's goal, the Hungarians advanced positions to pressure Portugal's ball output and both teams found more space.

In one of those, Hungary, after a cross from the right and a defensive error by Portugal, Varga scored again with a header and tied the game in the 83rd minute.

However, the joy was short-lived for the Hungarians at the Puskas Arena, as Cancelo scored in the 85th minute after a shot from the edge of the area that he precisely adjusted into the back of the net.

That was how the match ended with the final 2-3, which leaves Portugal in the lead alone in Group F with 6 points.