Ronaldo makes history again, breaking record that seemed untouchable
Cristiano Ronaldo (photo: Getty Images)
Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo set a new historic record in football, becoming the highest-scoring player in World Cup qualification matches.
Record-breaking double
In the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Hungary, the Portuguese national team striker scored twice, bringing his total goals in qualification matches to 41.
Previously, Ronaldo shared the top spot with the legendary Carlos Ruiz from Guatemala, who had 39 goals.
Ronaldo scored his first goal early in the second half and soon doubled his team's lead. However, Portugal was unable to hold on for the win, as the Hungarians equalized in the 90+1 minute. The match ended 2-2.
Top scorers in World Cup qualifiers
With this achievement, the 39-year-old Portuguese player now leads the list of the most prolific scorers in World Cup qualifiers:
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – 41 goals (51 matches, 2006–present)
- Carlos Ruiz (Guatemala) – 39 goals (47 matches, 2002–2018)
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 36 goals (72 matches, 2006–present)
- Ali Daei (Iran) – 35 goals (51 matches, 1994–2006)
- Robert Lewandowski (Poland) – 33 goals (42 matches, 2010–present)
Overall, Ronaldo has scored 143 goals for the Portugal national team, making him the highest-scoring player in the history of international football.
England secures first spot for the 2026 World Cup
Meanwhile, Harry Kane also stood out in qualification, scoring twice in England's match against Latvia.
With this performance, Kane moved up to 17th place in the all-time qualification scorers ranking with 23 goals in 20 matches, and his team secured an early spot at the 2026 World Cup after a 5-0 win over Latvia.
What's next
Portugal will play its next match on November 13 against Ireland. Kick-off is at 9:45 PM Kyiv time.
