(Lisbon) Cristiano Ronaldo should break the world record for appearances in the men’s selection after setting up Thursday with Portugal for their Euro 2024 qualifying match against Liechtenstein.
The 38-year-old forward, who is currently at Saudi club Al-Nasr, honors his tally at 197H Choosing and surpassing Kuwaiti Bader Al-Mutawa, with whom he shared the record until then. Ronaldo made his international debut in August 2003 in a friendly match against Kazakhstan.
In his nearly 20-year international career, the Portuguese captain has faced 70 different countries and participated in all major international competitions since Euro 2004, five European Championships and five World Cups.
He won the first two major titles in his country’s history: Euro 2016 and League of Nations 2019.
Five times already holds the Ballon d’Or world record for goals in selection since the firstany September 2021 After surpassing, thanks to a brace against Ireland, Iran’s Ali Daei and his achievement of 109. He now has 118 units and has the chance to increase that total on Thursday night.
In doing so, he would collect two of the most important records in men’s football.
For this meeting, the new coach of Portugal, Spaniard Roberto Martinez, changed the system. The Seleção would field a three-man defense, something that rarely happened during the eight years of his predecessor Fernando Santos’ tenure.
XI in Portugal
Patricia
Danilo Pereira, Ruben Dias, Ignacio
Cancelo, Bruno Fernandez, Balinha, Bernardo Silva, Rafael Guerrero
Cristiano Ronaldo (hat), Joao Felix
