Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo has develop into the most-capped males’s worldwide footballer of all time along with his 197th look within the Euro 2024 qualifying match in opposition to Liechtenstein at Estadio Jose Alvalade stadium Thursday.
The Al Nassr ahead received his 197th cap in Thursday’s opening Euro 2024 qualifier in opposition to Liechtenstein, shifting him one away from Kuwait ahead Bader Al-Mutawa. Malaysia’s Soh Chin Ann (195 caps) is third on the listing, with Ahmed Hassan (184) and Ahmed Mubarak (183) from Egypt and Oman respectively finishing the highest 5.
Ronaldo had equaled Al-Mutawa’s file when that includes for Portugal of their World Cup quarter-final defeat to Morocco in December.
Speaking forward of the assembly with Liechtenstein at Estadio Jose Alvalade, Ronaldo revealed he contemplated retiring from worldwide soccer after that defeat. But he was named in new head coach Roberto Martinez’s first squad and made extra historical past when showing in opposition to minnows Liechtenstein in Lisbon.
Ronaldo, who additionally holds the file for many males’s worldwide targets (118), earned his first cap in 2003 when changing Luis Figo in a pleasant in opposition to Kazakhstan.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who received Euro 2016 with Portugal, has performed in opposition to Luxembourg (10 video games) extra instances than another nation, adopted by Spain (9). Luxembourg are additionally the nation Ronaldo has scored in opposition to probably the most, discovering the web 9 instances, whereas he has scored seven instances in opposition to Lithuania and Sweden.
He has performed 47 instances for Portugal at main tournaments – 25 instances on the European Championships and 22 on the World Cup – and is hopeful of that includes at Euro 2024.
“My biggest wish is to be able to take Portugal as high as possible,” Ronaldo stated on Wednesday. “I will always play my part when needed.”
“Earning records is always a positive thing and it motivated me. I like to break records and will now break another special one. It makes me very proud.”
“But beyond (Thursday), I still have plenty of games left. Let’s see if the coach still wants to count on me to be available,” he added.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
