Cristiano Ronaldo became the first man to play 200 international matches on Tuesday, when Portugal defeated Iceland in a European Championship qualification match.
The Portugal captain, who made his international debut in 2003, reached the milestone when playing against Iceland at Laugardalsvollur stadium in Reykjavik, where he also scored the game-winning goal.
“I’m overjoyed. You never anticipate experiencing a moment like reaching 200 caps. It’s an incredible accomplishment. Naturally, the fact that I scored the game-winning goal makes it even more memorable,” Ronaldo stated following the match.
Ronaldo’s 123rd goal for Portugal increased his record as the most prolific international scorer all-time.
In March, during Portugal’s Euro 2024 qualifying match against Liechtenstein, the Al-Nassr striker surpassed Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa, who had held the record of 196 matches, for the most international appearances.
Ronaldo was presented with a Guinness World Record plaque before the match against Iceland in recognition of becoming the first male player to play in 200 international games.
Portugal now leads the standings with 12 points, two more than Slovakia in second place.
Cristiano Ronaldo becomes first-ever footballer to score 800 goals
