In a momentous achievement, Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the first male player to reach 200 international appearances. To mark this historic milestone, Ronaldo delivers a stunning performance by scoring the decisive goal in the 89th minute, leading Portugal to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Iceland in European Championship qualifying.

Before the match, Cristiano Ronaldo, at the age of 38, received a special recognition from Guinness World Records for his remarkable achievement of reaching 200 appearances for Portugal, nearly two decades after his debut. The celebration didn't end there for Ronaldo, as he sealed the victory with a late goal from close range, securing Portugal's perfect record of four wins in four games in Group J and keeping them on course for qualification to Euro 2024.

Ronaldo added to his impressive tally of international goals by scoring his 123rd for Portugal, further solidifying his record. It was yet another memorable evening for the legendary footballer, who has previously represented renowned clubs such as Real Madrid and Manchester United.

"So happy. It's that kind of moment that you never expect to do it, 200 caps. For me it's an unbelievable achievement," Ronaldo told UEFA's website. "Of course, to score the winning goal, it's even more special."


                                           

Until Iceland midfielder Willum Willumsson received a second yellow card and was sent off with 10 minutes remaining in regular time, Ronaldo's teammates Rafael Leão and Bruno Fernandes appeared to be the more likely sources of an opening in Reykjavik.

Despite missing several chances and receiving a booking for diving in the 83rd minute, Ronaldo ultimately secured the winning goal. It came when Goncalo Inacio headed the ball down, allowing the forward to score from close range. However, the celebration was delayed as there was an anxious wait for a VAR check before Ronaldo could finally celebrate in his iconic style.