Cristiano Ronaldo secured a last-minute victory for Portugal as he became the first men's footballer in history to reach 200 international appearances. The Portugal captain scored his 123rd international goal and maintained his perfect start to Euro 2024 qualifying with a record-extending strike. Prior to the match, the 38-year-old was presented with a Guinness World Record certificate to celebrate the milestone. Ronaldo’s historic goal, coupled with a resolute performance in defence, sealed a crucial win for his team.
Speaking to uefa.com after the match, Ronaldo expressed his delight: "It’s the kind of moment you never expect, to reach 200 caps. For me, it’s an unbelievable achievement. To be in the Guinness World Records is amazing, and to score the winning goal is even more special." Ronaldo was also quick to thank his teammates, the federation, and the stadium for making the night an unforgettable one.
In contrast, Iceland struggled to compete, and Willum Willumsson's sending off in the second half made their task even harder. Portugal's winning goal was initially ruled out for offside, but VAR overruled the decision. Ronaldo's excellent form in Euro qualifying paints a bright future for Portugal as they aim to build on their success at the recent European Championships.
Elsewhere, Germany suffered a shock 2-0 defeat at home to Colombia in a disappointing display. Colombia secured its first-ever win against Germany thanks to goals from Luis Diaz and Juan Cuadrado. Adding insult to injury, the home fans held up "Flick Out" signs, calling for the dismissal of Germany head coach Hansi Flick.
Finally, in a thrilling encounter in Lisbon, Senegal produced a stunning 4-2 victory over Brazil. Sadio Mané netted two goals as the African nation claimed a memorable triumph over the footballing giants. Brasil struggled to assert their dominance and conceded four goals for the first time since their tragic 7-1 loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup. The match will undoubtedly serve as a reminder to Brazil of the need for continued improvement as they look ahead to the next World Cup.