Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal will have set a new record by becoming the first player to play in five Euro tournaments when he leaves the game on Tuesday evening.
Before the end of the competition, the Portuguese forward might very likely set two new records.
At 18:00 CET from Budapest, the defending champions will begin their Euro 2020 campaign against Hungary.
Ronaldo, 36, needs just one goal to break the tie for top scorer at the Euros with France’s Michel Platini. Both have nine goals, with Ronaldo scoring them across the last four competitions and the Frenchmen scoring them all in the 1984 event that Les Bleus won.
“It’s a good record, but more important than this would be to win back-to-back Euros,” Ronaldo told reporters on Monday.
If Ronaldo scores six more goals, he will become the all-time highest scorer for a men’s national team. Iran striker Ali Daei now holds the record with 109 goals in 175 international matches, while the Juventus forward has 104 goals in 175 appearances.
At the Puskas Arena, the Hungarians can expect a partisan audience, but it’s hard to see how they can upset Portugal. However, mishaps do occur…
In a thrilling 3-3 draw with Portugal at Euro 2016, Hungary led at halftime and then took the lead twice more. Ronaldo, naturally, scored the Portuguese’s final two goals.
Portugal’s second match is against Germany on Saturday in Munich, followed by a rematch against world champions France on June 23 in Budapest, in a rematch of the Euro 2016 final, which saw Ronaldo cry with sadness when he went off hurt and then with joy after Eder’s extra-time goal.
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