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International football

Cristiano Ronaldo's five best international goals

Cristiano Ronaldo has now scored over a century of goals for Portugal, the second-highest international tally on record. Here we pick out five of his best.

Update:
Cristiano Ronaldo's five best international goals
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Cristiano Ronaldo was made to wait almost a year since his 99th international goal, largely due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the prolific Juventus forward finally racked up his century for Portugal against Sweden on Tuesday.

In doing so, Ronaldo becomes just the second male player to tally 100 at international level and is closing in on Ali Daei's record haul of 109 for Iran.

This was another special strike, Ronaldo finding the top corner with a free-kick. He also added another later in the game to move within eight of Daei's all-time record. Below, we have selected five of Ronaldo's greatest goals for Portugal.

Denmark v Portugal (October 11, 2011)

Ronaldo could have his own wing in the Hall of Fame for free-kicks - including Tuesday's milestone goal - and this effort would be at home among them.

Portugal were trailing 2-0 in the Euro 2012 qualifier with the match in injury time, but Ronaldo enjoyed a moment to remember by smashing home an unstoppable 30-yard effort from the left into the far corner with power and dip – a simply glorious strike.

Armenia v Portugal (June 13, 2015)

Nearly three years on and again in a European Championship qualifier, Ronaldo played a star turn as Portugal won a thriller 3-2 in Armenia.

Having already levelled from the penalty spot and put his side ahead with an impudent finish, Ronaldo celebrated his hat-trick by taking a beautiful touch from a dropping ball, turning sharply and lashing into the top-right corner from 25 yards.

Hungary v Portugal (June 22, 2016)

A year later, Portugal fell behind to Hungary in Lyon during Euro 2016 three times and it was Ronaldo who dragged his team level on the second occasion with a display of fine skill.

The captain added a deft flick with his trailing leg to João Mario's right-wing cross to make it 2-2 and he cancelled out Balazs Dzsudzsak's second with a double of his own. It was enough to send Portugal into the knockout stages and from there they claimed a maiden international title.

Portugal v Spain (June 15, 2018)

Having twice given his side the lead, Ronaldo found Portugal 3-2 down to their Iberian neighbours in their thrilling opener at the 2018 World Cup.

There was a sense of inevitability when he stood over an 88th-minute free-kick and the execution was sheer perfection as he left David de Gea with no chance.

Portugal v Switzerland (June 5, 2019)

Another game, another Ronaldo hat-trick – this time at last year's inaugural Nations League Finals. It was again a trademark free-kick that got the Ronaldo ball rolling and he swept home a second to restore Portugal's lead. 

But Ronaldo saved the best for the last in the final minute of normal time, picking up the ball wide on the left, adding a couple of trademark silky step overs, jinking inside the defender and rifling home into the bottom-right corner.