Cristiano Ronaldo wrapped up September’s international break with Portugal on a high note in the UEFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers, helping his team claim the top of Group F with a perfect record. After his record-setting performance against Hungary on Tuesday, the forward delivered a 7-word message to Portugal.
Fresh off Portugal’s Nations League triumph in June, Ronaldo returned to lead his country’s World Cup qualifying campaign. The Seleção opened with a dominant 5-0 win over Armenia, where Ronaldo bagged a brace, and followed it up with a hard-fought 3-2 victory in Hungary. With those two away wins, Portugal sits atop the group with six points.
By scoring against Hungary, Ronaldo tied Guatemalan legend Carlos “Pescadito” Ruiz as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup qualifiers across all confederations with 39 goals. The Portuguese star has also moved clear of Lionel Messi, with a chance to take sole possession of the record in the coming matches.
Following the victory, Ronaldo took to social media to share his short but powerful message: “Two games, two wins. Let’s go, Portugal,” he wrote, alongside a photo celebrating with teammates Pedro Neto, João Neves, and Bruno Fernandes.
Ronaldo will return to international duty during the October window, when Portugal hosts the Republic of Ireland on the 11th and Hungary on the 14th. With the scoring record on the line, the 39-year-old is also chasing another milestone: becoming, potentially alongside Messi, the first player ever to appear in six different World Cups, dating back to his debut in 2006.
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What’s next for Cristiano Ronaldo?
With the international break behind him, Ronaldo now shifts back to Al Nassr, who opened their Saudi Pro League campaign with a crushing 5-0 win. Just four days after the Hungary clash, they’ll host Al Kholood on Sunday in Matchday 2.
The following week, Al Nassr will begin their AFC Champions League Two campaign against Tajikistan side FC Istiklol, with the continental title marked as one of the club’s top priorities. Having already scored 27 goals in 30 matches in 2025, Ronaldo sits just 57 shy of the historic 1,000-goal milestone, a target that looks increasingly within reach as the season unfolds.
