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The Best Goals of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal Career—Ranked

Cristiano Ronaldo’s international career was glittered with stunning goals.
Barnaby Lane|
Cristiano Ronaldo has officially retired from international soccer.
Cristiano Ronaldo has officially retired from international soccer. | Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

And just like that, an era comes to an end.

After more than two decades, Cristiano Ronaldo has officially called time on his legendary Portugal career, announcing his decision in an emotional, lengthy Instagram video in which he declared it was time “to hand back the number seven shirt of our national team.”

Few international careers in the history of soccer can rival what Ronaldo has accomplished. Across 234 appearances, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner found the net an astonishing 146 times, setting all-time records for both international appearances and goals in men’s soccer.

And while all 146 strikes have played their part in an extraordinary international legacy, some stand head and shoulders above the rest—from breathtaking free kicks and last-gasp winners to moments of sheer individual brilliance.

Here are the five best goals of Cristiano Ronaldo’s remarkable Portugal career.

5. Trademark Ronaldo (vs. Wales, 2016)

No list of Ronaldo’s greatest goals would be complete without a trademark header—and few have been more iconic than his effort against Wales in the Euro 2016 semifinals.

Meeting Raphaël Guerreiro’s corner, Ronaldo launched himself into the air, rising quite literally head and shoulders above everyone around him to thunder a header into the back of the net and put Portugal on course for the final.

Just three minutes later, he was involved again, with his shot falling kindly for Nani to turn home and double Portugal’s advantage, booking their place in the European Championship final.

Portugal would go on to lift the trophy, making Ronaldo’s towering header all the more memorable.

4. Putting the Swiss to the Sword (vs. Switzerland, 2019)

In all honesty, two of Ronaldo’s three goals against Switzerland in the 2019 UEFA Nations League semifinals could easily have made this list.

The first was his opener: a sensational first-half free kick that curled into the bottom-right corner, leaving Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer wrong-footed and with little chance of keeping it out.

His third, which completed a devastating hat trick, was equally impressive. Pouncing on a loose ball after Granit Xhaka lost possession, Ronaldo drove forward, left his defender trailing with a sharp change of direction and unleashed a wicked, dipping finish into the far corner.

Three goals, one emphatic statement. Ronaldo’s hat trick fired Portugal into the Nations League final, where they would go on to lift the trophy on home soil.

3. Pick That Out (vs. Armenia, 2015)

Few goals look quite so simple yet prove so spectacular.

Collecting a goal kick out of the sky in the middle of Armenia’s half, Ronaldo brought the ball down effortlessly with his left foot, took a couple of touches forward, looked up and unleashed an unstoppable strike into the top corner.

Scored during Portugal’s Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, the stunning effort completed Ronaldo’s third consecutive hat trick for club and country.

2. A Moment of Genius (vs. Hungary, 2016)

At Euro 2016, Portugal needed at least a draw in their final group-stage game against Hungary to keep their hopes of progressing alive.

Things weren’t exactly going to plan. Trailing 2–1 with just over 50 minutes gone, Portugal were staring down the barrel of an early exit.

Enter Ronaldo.

Meeting João Mário’s whipped cross, the Portuguese superstar produced a moment of pure genius, flicking the ball with an audacious backheel on the half-volley and sending it beyond goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi and into the bottom corner.

Simply sensational. And Ronaldo wasn’t finished there. After Hungary restored their lead just minutes later, he struck again to complete his brace, securing a dramatic 3–3 draw and ensuring Portugal’s passage to the knockout stages.

1. Coming in Clutch (vs. Spain, 2018)

Portugal’s 3–3 draw with Spain at the 2018 World Cup remains a tournament classic—and Ronaldo was undoubtedly the star of the show.

Trailing La Roja 3–2 in the 88th minute, Ronaldo, who had already bagged a brace, stood over a free kick just outside the penalty area.

With the world watching, the Portuguese superstar stepped up and delivered in typically spectacular fashion, whipping a wicked effort over the wall and into the top corner. Spain goalkeeper David de Gea could only watch as the ball flew past him, rescuing a point for Portugal and completing Ronaldo’s hat trick.

Talk about coming up clutch.

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Barnaby Lane
BARNABY LANE

Barnaby Lane, better known as Barney, is a soccer writer for SI FC. With nearly a decade of experience in the industry, he has worked for a range of household-name publications in both the United States and the United Kingdom, and has interviewed some of the world’s biggest athletes—from Usain Bolt and Rafael Nadal to Christian Pulisic (though his favorite interview remains Adebayo Akinfenwa). Barney specializes in Premier League soccer, covering everything from the nostalgia of years gone by to the modern, vastly different landscape of today’s game. He also has experience reporting on La Liga and Major League Soccer, the latter of which he developed a particular affinity for during his university days at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.

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