The brilliant career of Cristiano Ronaldo is on the approach of reaching yet another important landmark.
If all goes according to plan and he plays against Iceland in Reykjavik on Tuesday for a Euro 2024 qualifier, he would become the first male footballer to make his 200th international appearance. This accomplishment will make him the first ever.
Ronaldo already holds the record for the most international appearances by a male footballer, having competed for Portugal 199 times and earning a total of 199 caps. Soon after the beginning of this year, he overtook Bader Al-Mutawa of Kuwait, who had played 196 games for his nation between the years 2003 and 2022.
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On Saturday, Ronaldo earned his 199th international cap during Portugal’s 3-0 victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Lisbon. Even though Ronaldo was unable to add to his total of 122 international goals, which is also the highest by a male player, he still managed to make a significant impact while playing on the field.
After the game, Portugal’s head coach Roberto Martinez said to the press, “He is a one-of-a-kind player with 199 caps.” “He always worked hard, even when he didn’t have the ball, and he followed the game plan. His attitude was flawless. I have a high level of contentment. [He is] a model of a player who prioritizes doing what is best for the team.
Ronaldo, on the other hand, will not be the first player in the history of football to reach the milestone of 200 caps. If Ronaldo plays for Portugal on Tuesday, he would become the 27th player in the world to make 200 appearances for his national team.
At least 200 complete international matches have been played by 26 different female football players during the course of their careers. There are six female players who have scored more goals than Ronaldo, with the illustrious Canadian Christine Sinclair at the top of the list in this respect. The imposing striker has scored at least one goal for Canada in each of the calendar years between 2000 and 2022, making him the all-time top scorer in international competition with 190 tallies in 323 matches. He holds the record for most goals scored by a player in international competition.