Prior to missing his penalty against Ireland on the night he passed Pele as the all-time top goalscorer in men’s international football, Cristiano Ronaldo had a moment of insanity.
Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier saw Ronaldo defeat Ireland 2-1 after passing Ali Daei of Iran with a goal in the 89th minute and scoring his 111th goal overall in extra time.
He waited until the very end to beat the record and give Portugal three points.
Ronaldo really had the opportunity to break Daei’s record early in the contest when his team was given a penalty kick.
The returning Manchester United great, Bruno Fernandes, stepped up to take the penalty after being fouled inside the penalty area.
And as he touched the ball down, Ireland’s Dara O’Shea booted it away, inciting a furious response.
The West Brom defender was smacked by the 36-year-old and fell to the ground; the referee took no punishment against the attacker.
Ronaldo’s penalty was saved by 19-year-old Gavin Bazunu, but the five-time Ballon d’Or winner came out on top by scoring two subsequent headers.
However, some internet supporters believe Ronaldo shouldn’t have continued playing after hitting O’Shea.
