Portugal’s star forward Cristiano Ronaldo has once again written his name into football history. The 40-year-old legend set a new world record after scoring twice in the 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Hungary.
In the 22nd minute, Ronaldo equalized the score, and in first-half stoppage time, he put Portugal ahead. With these two goals, he reached 40 and 41 goals in World Cup qualifying matches.
This achievement allowed Cristiano to surpass Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz, who had held the record of 39 goals since 2016. Ronaldo is now officially the top scorer in World Cup qualifying history.
Interestingly, his long-time rival Lionel Messi has scored 36 goals in World Cup qualifiers.
Experts highlight that Ronaldo’s latest milestone demonstrates not only his consistency over the years but also his remarkable physical condition at the age of 40. Since his career is still ongoing, the record could grow even further.
With this achievement, Ronaldo has once again confirmed his status as one of the most prolific and enduring forwards — not only in Portuguese football but in world football as a whole.
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