Football fans have been on the edge of their seats as Cristiano Ronaldo made history by becoming the most capped men’s player in international football. The Portuguese superstar made his 197th appearance for his country, surpassing the previous record holder, Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa.
Ronaldo, who is now 38 years old, marked the occasion in style by scoring two goals in Portugal’s 4-0 win over Liechtenstein in their Euro 2024 qualifying match. The match took place at the Jose Alvalade Stadium, home of Sporting Lisbon, the club where Ronaldo began his professional career.
This latest achievement adds to Ronaldo’s long list of accolades, which includes multiple Ballon d’Or awards and numerous domestic and international titles. But for the man himself, breaking this record is undoubtedly a special moment.
Ronaldo’s Other Records
Ronaldo is no stranger to breaking records, of course. He currently holds the men’s world record for most international goals with 120, surpassing the previous record held by Iran’s Ali Daei. He also became the first men’s player to score at five separate World Cups.
Despite his age, Ronaldo is still driven by the desire to break more records and cement his legacy even further. In an interview before the game with Liechtenstein in Lisbon, Ronaldo claimed that records are always positive, and he likes to break them.
He is proud of being the best scorer ever for the national teams, and he wants to be the most internationally capped player too. He aims to have many more matches in the future.
Before the Record
Ronaldo’s recent performances on the pitch have been nothing short of extraordinary. During the World Cup in Qatar, he usurped Malaysia’s Soh Chin Ann and drew level with Bader Al-Mutawa, who played 196 times for Kuwait. Portugal’s elimination at the hands of Morocco last winter had thrown into doubt whether the ex-Manchester United star would stick around to break the record.
It hasn’t always been an easy road for Ronaldo on the international stage, however. There were questions raised about his future in the national team after he was left out of the starting lineup for Portugal’s knockout matches at the World Cup in Qatar. But he proved his worth by coming off the bench in both games and helping his team to victory.
Recently, however, Roberto Martinez, who replaced Fernando Santos earlier this year as Portugal’s manager, quickly showed his intentions by flying out to Saudi Arabia to watch Ronaldo play for Al-Nassr. He included him in his first squad to kick off their Euro 2024 qualification campaign and restored him to the starting lineup alongside Chelsea’s Joao Felix.
Other Record Holders
It’s worth noting that although Ronaldo’s 197 appearances mean he is the most-capped men’s player, he is still a long way from the outright record. That belongs to United States legend Kristine Lily, who has a staggering 354 caps for the women’s team, winning four World Cups across her 23-year career.
Canada’s Christine Sinclair is the most-capped active player with 322 appearances for Canada. In total, 26 female players have 200 or more international caps.
As Ronaldo continues to break records and reach new heights, football fans are in awe of his incredible talent and dedication to the game.
