Cristiano Ronaldo Makes World Cup History with Legendary Milestone

LISBON – Portuguese football icon Cristiano Ronaldo has added another extraordinary chapter to his career, officially becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup qualifying matches.

The 40-year-old captain achieved the historic feat during Portugal's recent 2-2 draw against Hungary at the Estádio José Alvalade, scoring a decisive brace to surpass the previous record held by Guatemala's Carlos Ruiz.

The Record-Breaking Performance

Ronaldo entered the match tied with Ruiz at 39 goals. After Portugal initially conceded the first goal, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner quickly responded:

1. The Equalizer (Goal 40): Ronaldo poked home a dangerous ball delivered by Nélson Semedo, leveling the score and tying the all-time record.

2. The Milestone (Goal 41): On the brink of halftime, Ronaldo finished off a lovely cross from Nuno Mendes, securing his 41st goal in World Cup qualifiers and claiming the undisputed top spot in the history books.

Despite the individual brilliance, Portugal was unable to secure the win, conceding a stoppage-time equalizer to Dominik Szoboszlai, resulting in a 2-2 draw that slightly marred their previously perfect 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifying record.

All-Time World Cup Qualifying Goalscorers

Ronaldo now stands alone at the top of an elite list of international strikers with 41 goals for Portugal. He surpassed the previous record of 39 goals held by Guatemala's Carlos Ruiz. Các chân sút đáng chú ý khác trong danh sách này bao gồm Lionel Messi của Argentina, người hiện đang đứng thứ ba với 36 bàn thắng, Ali Daei của Iran (35 bàn), và Robert Lewandowski của Ba Lan (33 bàn).

Pursuit of 1,000 Career Goals

The new World Cup qualifying record further cements Ronaldo's legacy as he continues his ambitious pursuit of 1,000 career goals. His brace against Hungary brought his total career haul to 948 goals, including 143 for the Portugal national team. At age 40, the Real Madrid icon remains focused on achieving both the 1,000-goal mark and, most crucially, securing a World Cup title before he concludes his illustrious playing career.