Former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo will become the most-capped international footballer of all time when Portugal take to the field on Thursday night.
Ronaldo is set to feature against Liechtenstein on Thursday evening, meaning he will stand alone for the record of most international appearances made.
At present, Ronaldo has made 196 appearances and shares the record with Kuwait striker Bader Al-Mutawa. However, Al-Mutawa was left out of his international team this week meaning the Portuguese great will now move ahead of him with an appearance against the European minnows.
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It was confirmed ahead of kick-off that Ronaldo was in the starting IX alongside former Manchester United teammate Bruno Fernandes. Man City stars Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva also started the game.
The news comes as the former Real Madrid, Juventus and Sporting Lisbon star admitted he considered hanging up his boots for his country following his World Cup heartbreak.
Ronaldo was the only free agent at the tournament in Qatar following his exit from Old Trafford post-Piers Morgan interview. The current Al-Nassr captain scored in Portugal's opening group-stage victory over Ghana but found his role diminishing as the World Cup progressed.
In the knockout stages, Ronaldo was used as a substitute but could not change the game in the quarter-finals as Portugal were surprisingly knocked out by Morocco. The 38-year-old was captured in tears post-match with there being a general acceptance that the Qatar tournament was his last World Cup.
However, in a pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Ronaldo claimed that could have been his last game for Portugal altogether. He explained: "I'm not going to lie. In our life, we have to put everything on the scale.
"We thought, we reflected, me and my family, but then we came to the conclusion that, despite the difficulties, we cannot throw in the towel. I was able to see situations at different angles. I learned a lot from that.
"I'm glad to be back. Roberto Martinez showed that he counted on me.
"I've always wanted to play. As you know, he talked to everyone and to me, too.
"And I was able to realise that I have a lot to give to the national team. I feel it, I want it, and my desire is to take Portugal to the highest level.
"I will always give my contribution when they need me."
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