Cristiano Ronaldo’s Stunning Double Fails to Seal Portugal’s World Cup Dream—What Went Wrong?

Cristiano Ronaldo, at 40 years young, once again reminded us why he’s a living legend on the pitch, bagging a brace in Portugal’s thrilling 2-2 standoff with Hungary. It was more than just goals—it was history unfolding as he etched his name atop the all-time scorers list in World Cup qualifiers. Yet, despite his heroics, Portugal found themselves locked in a bittersweet draw that leaves their World Cup dreams dangling, hanging in the balance until November. The rollercoaster match kicked off with an early shock—a costly blunder by Portugal’s keeper gifted Hungary the opener, setting the stage for a nail-biting encounter at Estádio José Alvalade. Ronaldo’s clinical finishes leveled the score twice, nudging his side closer to securing a coveted spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. But fate had other plans—Hungary’s last-gasp strike ensured Portugal would have to wait a little longer, their quest far from over. The passion, the drama, the records shattered—it’s all here, serving up a feast for football lovers and skeptics alike. LEARN MORE .

Cristiano Ronaldo was the standout performer in Portugal’s 2-2 draw against Hungary. The 40-year-old forward scored twice, reaching an all-time record in the process, but it wasn’t enough to lead his national team to qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The match got off to a rough start for Portugal, as Attila Szalai capitalized on a mistake by goalkeeper Diogo Costa in the 8th minute and headed in the opener for Hungary, stunning the thousands of fans at Estádio José Alvalade.

In that context, Ronaldo stepped up to score the equalizer just before halftime. He finished off a pass from Nelson Semedo inside the box, simply tapping the ball into the net. With that goal, Cristiano surpassed Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz to become the all-time leading scorer in World Cup qualifiers.

Still unsatisfied, the Al Nassr forward struck again early in the second half, scoring a similar goal to turn the game around and put Portugal in position to clinch their place in the FIFA tournament. To do so, however, they needed to hold their lead until the final whistle—and also needed Armenia to drop points against Ireland.

Ireland did their part, claiming a crucial 1-0 win over Armenia. But Portugal couldn’t hold on. With Cristiano Ronaldo already off the pitch, Roberto Martinez’s side sat deep and Hungary capitalized, as Dominik Szoboszlai scored a stoppage-time equalizer. As a result, Portugal remain atop their group but will have to wait until November to secure their World Cup spot.