Cristiano Ronaldo brings up 100 goals for Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Portugal's starting line-up against Sweden in the Nations League the Juventus striker joined an exclusive club of players when he scored his 100th international goal with a first-half free kick. Ronaldo missed the 4-1 win over Croatia with an infected toe but had found the net in each of his last six apperances for Fernando Santos' side, adding 11 goals to his tally in that time. 

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner first scored for Portugal at Euro 2004 on home soil and has netted nine hat-tricks during his international career. Sixty-one of Ronaldo's goals have come in Euro and World Cup qualifying with the Portuguese adding 16 in the finals tournaments of both events. 

Only Ali Daei has scored more international goals than Ronaldo, the now-retired Iran striker having netted 109 during his career. 

Behind Ronaldo is Ferenc Puskás, the Hungarian great who managed 84 strikes for the Magyars at a rate of almost a goal a game.  

It seems inevitable that Ronaldo will go on to overtake Daei at his current scoring rate. In 2019 the Juventus forward had his most prolific season to date with Portugal, finding the net 14 times in 10 games during the calendar year. The Portuguese moved to within eight of the Iranian striker by adding another in the second half against Sweden, an effort from outside the box from a João Félix assist. 

Portugal's next fixtures are against Spain, France and Sweden before Andorra visit Lisbon on 11 November.