Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice against Hungary, becomes highest scorer in Euros

Cristiano Ronaldo has for long been the ‘man with the midas touch’ for Portugal and he came good again for the defending champions, who beat a resolute Hungary side 3-0 in their tournament opener. Ronaldo took centrestage after Raphael Guerreiro had broken the deadlock with a lucky deflection in the 84th minute.

He scored from the penalty spot in the 87th minute to double Portugal’s lead and with that strike he became the sole owner of the record for being the highest scorer in the history of European Championships. He was tied with legendary French playmaker Michel Platini at the top of the table with 9 goals, before the start of Euro 2020.

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The talismanic footballer was not done as he put the icing on the cake by scoring his second of the night to give his team a big win in a match that was keenly contested until the point Portugal took a lucky lead.

EURO 2020 – Hungary 0-3 Portugal Full Time score Highlights

Ronaldo made up for an easy miss in the first half by scoring the two goals in a match that Portugal needed to win because of being in the proverbial ‘group of death’. The other two teams in the group are three-time champions Germany and reigning world champions France, whom Portugal had beaten by a solitary goal in the final of Euro 2016.

Ronaldo now has 11 goals in the European Championships finals, having scored his maiden international goal in the same tournament, way back in 2004 against Greece.

The two goals took Ronaldo’s overall tally of international goals for Portugal to 106, which means he is now only three goals behind Ali Daei’s world record of 109 goals, which he had scored in a stellar international career for Iran.