Chapter 748: The Legend
Minute 81: Under immense pressure from Portugal's relentless left-flank attacks, Ukraine's right-side defense finally cracked. Bernardo Silva showcased his technical brilliance, cutting inside from the wing and firing a shot. Ukrainian goalkeeper Pyatov parried the ball, but Cristiano Ronaldo, quicker than Matviyenko, headed it back into play. Bernardo Silva followed up with another header, setting up Bruno Fernandes.
Bruno controlled the ball on his chest and unleashed a half-volley. The ball bounced just before reaching the goal, rising over Pyatov's outstretched hands and into the net.
As the ball hit the back of the net, the once-deafening Kyiv Olympic Stadium fell silent.
Bruno sprinted toward the Portuguese supporters, beating his chest passionately and shouting as if to reassure them: "Trust me. I've got this."
Since Ronaldo's brief hiatus from the national team following the World Cup, Bruno had become Portugal's undisputed leader and spiritual pillar. Even with Ronaldo's return and the captain's armband back on his arm, the team's focal point remained Bruno Fernandes. His consistent brilliance gave Portuguese fans confidence whenever he stepped onto the pitch.
Minute 82: As Portugal celebrated the equalizer, Fernando Santos quickly summoned a fully warmed-up and ready-to-go Bruma for final instructions.
João Mário was substituted, and Bruma entered the match. Portugal restructured their formation into a dynamic 3-3-3 setup:
Midfield trio: Danilo Pereira, Bernardo Silva, and Bruno Fernandes.Forward trio: Bruma, Cristiano Ronaldo, and João Félix.
Portugal's relentless left-sided attacks intensified, throwing Ukraine's defense into disarray.
Minute 89: With the ball at his feet, Bernardo Silva faced a pressing Malinovskyi. Feigning a pass to Ronaldo, Bernardo instead deftly turned and accelerated past him. As Malinovskyi reached out to pull him back, Bernardo fell to the ground. The referee blew the whistle.
Portugal took a quick free kick. Danilo Pereira launched the ball forward, finding Bruno Fernandes, who had drifted into a new position on the left flank.
Facing Kryvtsov, Bruno executed a swift pirouette, deceiving the defender before delivering a pinpoint diagonal pass across the field.
"Open space!"
"A massive gap!"
The entire Ukrainian defense had been drawn to Portugal's left, leaving acres of space on the right. Bruno's brilliant switch of play was met by Bernardo Silva, who had darted into position.
As Bernardo Silva received the ball, the Portuguese attack surged forward in unison—Ronaldo, João Félix, Bruno, and a charging Danilo Pereira all sprinted toward the Ukrainian goal. The sheer number of attacking options left Ukraine's defense overwhelmed and scrambling.
"Mark Ronaldo!" Pyatov shouted desperately.
To the Ukrainian keeper, Ronaldo remained the primary threat. Anticipating a cross to the aerial maestro, Pyatov adjusted his position accordingly.
But Bernardo Silva had other plans. Instead of crossing, he cut inside and feigned a shot, only to slip the ball into the vacated half-space on the right.
Minute 90: As the camera panned, a diminutive, dark-skinned figure emerged—Bruma.
"It's Bruma! Ukraine completely forgot about him!"
"Bruma! That substitute kid Santos sent on!" shouted Martin Tyler, startling viewers with his excitement.
Ukraine's defense scrambled, belatedly realizing the danger. Their focus had been on Ronaldo, João Félix, and Bruno Fernandes, neglecting the substitute on the right flank.
Pyatov yelled, "Close him down! Block the cross!"
The Ukrainian defenders rushed toward Bruma, fully expecting him to loft the ball into the crowded box. After all, this was a young, fringe player unlikely to take risks in such a high-pressure moment.
But Bruma defied expectations. With a calm yet confident swing of his right foot, he struck the ball cleanly, crafting a delicate curve.
The ball soared over the penalty area melee, past Pyatov's outstretched fingers, and dipped perfectly into the net's far corner.
3–2 Portugal.
In the 90th minute, Bruma—a substitute and underdog—had scored a stunning goal to give Portugal the lead.
Victory secured. Absolute magic.
"Bruma! Bruma! 3:2! What a magnificent curve, a stunning goal, and a beautiful long-range strike!" commentator Andy Gray shouted excitedly.
He was thrilled to witness such an incredible match-winning goal live—one that could stir anyone's emotions.
"Remember this Portuguese youngster: Armindo Tué Na Bangna, but everyone knows him as Bruma. This 24-year-old Portuguese international, who turns 25 in just ten days, made his European Championship qualifying debut as a substitute and delivered a dramatic winner."
"Currently playing for PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie, Bruma was once seen as a rising star of Portuguese football. Back in October 2013, at just 19 years old, he earned his first national team call-up. At the same time, the now-renowned Bruno Fernandes made his debut for Portugal."
"Unlike Bruno, who has since grown into one of the top three players in world football, Bruma's club career has been less consistent. After transferring to Turkish giants Galatasaray in the summer of 2013, he struggled to establish himself and went on to play for several clubs without making a significant impact. As a result, he didn't receive another call-up to the Portuguese national team for years."
"Last year, during the inaugural UEFA Nations League, Bruma returned to the national squad after a five-year absence. However, his performances during the tournament were lackluster. Few could have predicted that he would score in his European Championship qualifying debut today."
"This was also Bruma's first goal for the national team, albeit a bit overdue. After all, his contemporary, Bruno Fernandes, already boasts 66 goals for Portugal, ranking second on the all-time scorers list, only behind the current captain, Cristiano Ronaldo."
"After scoring, Bruma seemed a bit bewildered. He stood still, unsure how to celebrate. Ultimately, he ran toward the visiting fans' stand and pounded his chest—a gesture identical to Bruno's earlier celebration."
Two minutes later, the referee blew the final whistle, signaling the end of the match. Portugal had come from behind to beat Ukraine 3–2 on their home turf, completing a double over them.
With this victory, Portugal solidified their position at the top of the group, securing their place in next summer's European Championship with two games to spare. This ensured their qualification even without considering their automatic berth from winning the UEFA Nations League.
One noteworthy moment from the game was Cristiano Ronaldo's goal, marking the 700th official goal of his illustrious career. Ronaldo now leads all active players in career goals, 28 ahead of his rival, Messi.
Historically, Ronaldo ranks sixth in football's all-time official goal scorers. He is 105 goals shy of Austrian legend Josef Bican, who holds the top spot.
Breaking down Ronaldo's remarkable career:
His most prolific season was 2011–2012, when he scored 69 goals.He surpassed 60 goals in two other seasons: 66 in 2014–2015 and 62 in 2013–2014.During his Real Madrid tenure from 2010–2011 to 2017–2018, Ronaldo scored over 50 goals in eight consecutive seasons.
In the current season, Ronaldo has netted 11 goals in 12 games, including 4 goals in 8 appearances for Juventus and 7 goals in 4 matches for Portugal, with one of those games featuring a four-goal haul.
Among his 700 career goals:
442 were scored with his right foot.129 with his left foot.127 headers.2 from other body parts.
Ronaldo's breakdown by area:
595 goals came from inside the penalty box.105 goals were from long-range efforts.He has scored 113 penalties and 55 free kicks.
Ronaldo's favorite opponents:
Sevilla leads the list, having conceded 27 goals to him.Other frequent victims include Atlético Madrid (25), Getafe (23), Celta Vigo (20), and Barcelona (18).
Of his milestone goals:
His 100th goal came during his Manchester United days.His 700th goal was with Juventus.The 200th, 300th, 400th, 500th, and 600th goals all came during his Real Madrid tenure.
After the game, Ronaldo posted on social media:
"Proud to have scored my 700th career goal. I want to share this honor with everyone who has helped me reach this milestone."
The official Portuguese national team Twitter account celebrated their legend:
"For some, such achievements seem impossible, but for the best, they're just stepping stones. CR700 has made history and continues to chase the next milestone. A true legend never stops!"
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