Cristiano Ronaldo set a brand new file for probably the most worldwide caps as Portugal performed Liechtenstein on Thursday and celebrated the milestone with two record-extending targets.

Ronaldo, who turned 38 final month, gained his 197th cap, surpassing Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa, as he returned to the beginning line-up and captained his nation of their Euro 2024 Group J qualifier on the Jose Alvalade Stadium.

He transformed a 51st-minute penalty for his first aim towards the tiny Alpine principality as the house facet went 3-0 up after being just one aim forward on the break. He then scored a free-kick on 63 minutes so as to add a fourth for the hosts in Lisbon.

It prolonged Ronaldo’s file for probably the most targets in worldwide soccer to 120, though he had earlier missed gilt-edged possibilities when he skied the ball in entrance of aim and glanced a header vast.

“I like to interrupt information, I’ve damaged lot of information,” he instructed reporters on the eve of Thursday’s match, which marked the primary sport answerable for new Portugal coach Roberto Martinez.

“I search for dedication,” stated Martinez. “And Ronaldo has big dedication to the nationwide crew, is a significant determine for it, and has expertise he can go on.”

Ronaldo had been benched by former coach Fernando Santos for his or her remaining two video games finally yr’s World Cup in Qatar the place Portugal misplaced within the quarter-finals to Morocco.