• Portugal's forward Cristiano Ronaldo controls the ball during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group B football match between Portugal and Morocco at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on June 20, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / YURI CORTEZ / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADSYURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images Photo: YURI CORTEZ / AFP or licensors
Photo: YURI CORTEZ
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Portugal's forward Cristiano Ronaldo controls the ball during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group B football match between Portugal and Morocco at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on June 20, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / YURI CORTEZ / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADSYURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images less
Portugal's forward Cristiano Ronaldo controls the ball during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group B football match between Portugal and Morocco at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on June 20, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / YURI ... more
Photo: YURI CORTEZ

Moscow

Off the top of his head, Cristiano Ronaldo scored yet another goal, set a European record and eliminated Morocco from the World Cup.

The Portugal forward headed in a fourth-minute cross from the right to give Portugal a 1-0 victory on Wednesday. It was his 85th goal for his country, the most for any European player in almost 150 years of international soccer.

"It was beautiful for me," Ronaldo said after being voted the man of the match for the second straight game.

Ronaldo celebrated his goal by pointing at his chest during a trademark run and soaring leap toward the corner flag at the Luzhniki Stadium.

The goal moved the 33-year-old Ronaldo ahead of Ferenc Puskas, another Real Madrid great who scored his last goal for Hungary in 1956. He is alone in second place worldwide behind Ali Daei's 109 goals for Iran.

Ronaldo's four goals top the individual scoring chart at this year's World Cup.

Spain 1, Iran 0: Patience is a virtue, and Spain showed plenty of it to overcome a tough challenge from Iran at the World Cup. During a frustrating evening at the Kazan Arena when the 2010 champions struggled to break through the stubborn Iranian defense, Diego Costa scored on a deflection for a 1-0 win. Costa scored in the 54th minute after being set up by Andres Iniesta. The powerful striker turned in the area and took a shot that deflected off Ramin Rezeian.