The tireless Cristiano Ronaldo once again showed that age is no obstacle to making history. In the World Cup Qualifier against Hungary, the Portugal captain scored from the penalty spot in the 57th minute—a goal that not only allowed his team to come from behind, but also added yet another chapter to his personal legend.

With this strike, the 40-year-old forward has now reached 141 international goals for his country and a total of 943 official career goals, bringing him ever closer to the monumental milestone of 1,000 goals, a figure once thought impossible in modern football.

The Portuguese captain’s staying power

Head coach Roberto Martínez once again underlined the star’s mentality ahead of the match. “Cristiano is a winner whose goal is to be the best every single day. He lives the present with the excitement of a debutant and transmits that spirit in the dressing room,” said the Spanish coach, who also highlighted his influence on the younger players.

In the same vein, Bernardo Silva, the Manchester City midfielder, stated that winning the 2026 World Cup would be “the perfect ending to Cristiano’s career”, stressing his leadership and competitive hunger even after winning everything.

The road to 1,000 goals

With 943 goals across club and country, the Portuguese forward is 57 goals away from reaching the mythical 1,000 mark. A target that, given his form and his contract with Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia until 2026, seems more realistic than ever.

His brace against Armenia in Portugal’s Qualifiers opener was the prelude to this latest achievement in Budapest. At 40 years old, he remains decisive, an undisputed reference point, and the all-time leading scorer in international football.

The dream of Cristiano Ronaldo is still alive. Goals, records, and ambition continue to define a player who is writing golden pages in the history of the beautiful game, and with every strike, brings his name closer to the legendary 1,000-goal milestone.