Cristiano Ronaldo outperformed Luka Modric in the battle of experienced players in the Nations League on Thursday, scoring his 900th career goal. The 39-year-old Ronaldo achieved the remarkable milestone of 900 goals in official matches for club and country by finding the back of the net in Portugal’s 2-1 victory against Croatia, led by Modric. “It holds great significance for me,” said Ronaldo. “I have been chasing this milestone for a long time and I always knew I would reach it eventually, as long as I continue to play.” Meanwhile, Spain was held to a draw by Serbia in their first match since winning the European Championship, while San Marino secured their first competitive win by defeating Liechtenstein.
Ronaldo vs. Modric
Ronaldo and Modric, former teammates at Real Madrid, may be nearing the end of their careers, but they continue to shine for their respective national teams. Modric, who will turn 39 on Monday, was unable to stop Ronaldo from scoring in the 34th minute at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon, putting Portugal ahead 2-1. Ronaldo showed his emotions by placing his hands on his head and falling to his knees during the celebration. “It was a special moment for me, as it is a unique achievement,” he said. “Only I and those close to me know the hard work and dedication it takes to score 900 goals, both physically and mentally. It is a significant milestone in my career.”
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Ronaldo’s 900th goal was his 131st at the international level. He had a disappointing performance at the European Championship, failing to score in all five of Portugal’s matches before they were eliminated by France in the quarterfinals on penalties.
Lewandowski’s Impact
Another veteran player who made an impact on Thursday was 36-year-old Robert Lewandowski, who converted a penalty kick in Poland’s 3-2 win over Scotland. Poland’s winning goal, also from a penalty kick, came in stoppage time by Nicola Zalewski. Ronaldo, Modric and Lewandowski have a combined total of 542 appearances and 239 goals for their national teams.
Spain’s Draw
Spain was held to a goalless draw against Serbia in their first match since winning the Euro 2024. La Roja has been in top form, winning the Nations League in 2023, Euro 2024, and the men’s gold medal at the Paris Olympics. However, their young stars, Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, were kept in check from the beginning. Spain will play their next away game against Switzerland in Geneva.
San Marino’s Historic Win
San Marino achieved their first-ever competitive victory by defeating Liechtenstein 1-0, thanks to Nicko Sensoli’s goal in the 53rd minute. They had previously beaten Liechtenstein by the same score in a friendly match in 2004. San Marino, a small nation surrounded by Italy, is currently ranked last at No. 210 in FIFA’s world rankings, while Liechtenstein is only slightly ahead at No. 199. The win came in Group D1 of the competition.
Other Results
Denmark defeated Switzerland 2-0 in Group A4, while Sweden secured a 3-1 win against Azerbaijan and Northern Ireland defeated Luxembourg 2-0 in League C. Slovakia won 1-0 against Estonia, and Belarus and Bulgaria ended in a goalless draw. The European qualifying groups for the 2026 World Cup will be drawn in Zurich in December, with seedings likely to be determined by the latest FIFA world rankings after the end of the Nations League group stage in November.
