Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo made history on Tuesday night by becoming the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup qualifying history, scoring twice in a 2026 qualifier against Hungary at age 40.
Ronaldo’s brace — his 40th and 41st goals in World Cup qualifying — saw him surpass Guatemala legend Carlos Ruiz, who previously held the record with 39 goals scored between 1998 and 2016.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner drew Portugal level in the 22nd minute, converting Nelson Semedo’s low cross, before adding a second just before halftime from Nuno Mendes’ assist to give the Selecão a 2–1 lead at the break.
A stoppage-time strike from Dominik Szoboszlai, however, denied Portugal an early ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, forcing Roberto Martínez’s men to wait a little longer to confirm qualification.
Already the world’s all-time top international goalscorer with 143 goals, Ronaldo is now aiming to feature in a record sixth World Cup, further extending his legendary career that has spanned over two decades at the top level.
