The scoreline does no justice to Hungary’s effort but it does record history.
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated his record appearance at a fifth European Championship as only he could: by also overtaking Michel Platini as the competition’s all-time leading goalscorer. Portugal left it late for victory but their star man left another indelible mark on the sport he continues to illuminate at the age of 36.
Until Raphaël Guerreiro broke Hungary’s resistance with a deflected strike in the 84th minute this was threatening to be a punishing night for the holders, one with potentially lasting consequences given
Germany and
France lie in wait in Group F. Minutes later it was the Ronaldo show once again, with scowls and knowing nods to a baying crowd thrown in for good measure. In the 86th minute he converted a penalty for his record-breaking 10th goal at a European Championship. In stoppage time, as though a reminder were needed that age has not withered his dazzling footwork, he danced around Peter Gulacsi in the Hungary goal to score his 11th. It was Ronaldo’s 106th goal for Portugal. He now requires only three more to equal the all-time international record held by Iran’s Ali Daei. In Ronaldo’s mind he will eclipse that tally in the final at Wembley, although it will take a marked improvement from Fernando Santos’s side to get that far.