As the reigning champions, Portugal faced off against Hungary in their first Euro 2020 fixture. Ronaldo's squad encountered a gritty and determined Hungarian team that arrived at the match with a formidable 11-match streak without a loss. Despite this, Portugal brought a formidable roster, arguably stronger than the one that secured them the title five years earlier.
The defending champions Portugal locked horns with Hungary in Euro 2020 match. Cristiano & co faced the determined and stubborn Hungary in their first match of the title defence. Hungary was in an impressive period with an 11 match unbeaten streak. On the other side, Portugal had a very strong squad than the other that won the Euro Championship before five years.
Portugal came out swinging, putting immediate pressure on the Hungarian defense. However, Hungary remained composed, utilizing disciplined play to prevent Portugal from dominating the tempo. This tournament also marked a historic milestone for captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who became the first player ever to feature in five different European Championships. He nearly opened the scoring in the 19th minute, but his effort was denied by a brilliant save from Gulacsi.
Around the 28th minute, Ronaldo attempted to set up Bernardo Silva, but Hungary's organized backline managed to thwart the attack. Hungary earned a free kick following a foul by Silva, yet the attempt failed to threaten as Rui Patricio comfortably gathered the ball.
The first half ended in a stalemate. As the game progressed, Portugal maintained control of possession and looked for an opening to break the deadlock. Hungary, however, played a high-quality game of their own, creating several dangerous opportunities that unfortunately didn't result in goals. In the 81st minute, Szabolcs nearly stunned the champions with a powerful strike, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
The breakthrough finally came in the closing stages when Raphael Guerreiro capitalized on a deflected ball to give Portugal the lead. Shortly after, in the 87th minute, Portugal was awarded a penalty. The Juventus star stepped up to convert it, becoming the first player in history to reach double digits (10 goals) in the European Championships.
Ronaldo wasn't finished yet; in the 92nd minute, he navigated through the box to score again, surpassing Michel Platini's record of 9 goals to become the all-time leading scorer in Euro history with 11 goals. That said, Platini still holds a unique distinction, as all nine of his goals were scored in a single tournament during Euro 1984, leading France to glory.
In terms of overall international scoring, Iran's Ali Daei holds the world record with 109 goals. Cristiano Ronaldo is currently trailing closely with 106 goals, meaning he is only four strikes away from overtaking Daei to become the highest-scoring international player of all time.