Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 900th career goal as Portugal edged Croatia 2-1 in Thursday s Nations League clash at Estadio da Luz.
Ronaldo s 34th-minute goal proved the winner, as the Portugal captain turned in Nuno Mendes cross for his milestone goal.
Roberto Martinez s side led inside seven minutes through Diogo Dalot, and 39-year-old Ronaldo forced a brilliant reflex save out of Dominik Livakovic 15 minutes later.
Livakovic was helpless to prevent Ronaldo putting Portugal ahead, though Dalot s own goal four minutes before half-time set up an exciting second period in the League A Group 1 contest.
Yet despite shading the expected goals (xG) value in the second half, with 0.44 to Portugal s 0.36, Croatia found no way through, with Ronaldo going off to a standing ovation when he was substituted late on.
E o melhor? A história ainda não acabou… |
— Portugal (@selecaoportugal)
Portugal, the 2019 Nations League winners, will remain in Lisbon to welcome Scotland on Sunday while Zlatko Dalic s Croatia side will look to bounce back against Poland in Osijek on the second matchday.
Data Debrief: Nine hundred not out
Ronaldo was already the top scorer in the history of the game, and international football s record goalscorer added another to his remarkable tally to hit the 900 mark.
It was his 131st for his country, on a night he had a joint team-high four shots, along with Bruno Fernandes.
The rest of his goals have been split across his clubs: 450 for Real Madrid, 145 for Manchester United, 131 at Juventus, 68 for Al-Nassr, and five when he played for Sporting CP at the start of his career.
