Ronaldo missed his chance to break another record. Cristiano failed to convert a penalty against Ireland
The next goal by the Portuguese in World Cup qualifying will be a record-breaker
Football news
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo failed to convert a penalty during the 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Ireland.
In the 75th minute, the 40-year-old Portugal captain struck his penalty straight down the middle, but Irish goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher read the attempt perfectly and made the save.
It’s worth recalling that on September 9, Ronaldo had successfully converted a penalty in a 3-2 win over Hungary, drawing level with Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz for the most goals in World Cup qualifiers—both with 39 strikes.
The match ultimately ended in a Portuguese victory thanks to a stoppage-time goal from Rúben Neves in the 90+1st minute. Cristiano will have another shot at breaking the record on October 14, when Portugal hosts Hungary.
