Cristiano Ronaldo bagged a brace in Portugal’s 2–1 victory over Hungary on Tuesday evening, adding another record to his illustrious résumé.
At 40 years old, Ronaldo is now the all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup Qualifiers. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has found the back of the net 41 times in World Cup qualifying matches throughout his career, more than any player in history.
After Portugal went down 1–0 at the Estádio José Alvalade, Ronaldo answered just 14 minutes later to get the hosts level. The captain poked home a dangerous ball from Nélson Semedo to bring the home crowd to its feet.
Ronaldo struck again on the brink of halftime, finishing off a lovely cross from Nuno Mendes. Roberto Martínez’s men could not close out the game, though, and conceded a stoppage time equalizer to Dominik Szoboszlai, forcing them to settle for just one point. The 2–2 draw marred Portugal’s previously perfect record in 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the all-time leading scorer in World Cup Qualifiers.
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) October 14, 2025
Lionel Messi sits third with 36.
All he needs to do now is win it. pic.twitter.com/2SvdGOmJlm
Top Goalscorers in World Cup Qualifying History
Before Portugal’s clash with Hungary, Ronaldo sat level with Carlos Ruiz on 39 goals. The former Real Madrid star has now officially surpassed the Guatemala legend to stand alone atop the history books.
Barring a surprise extension to his Argentina career beyond the 2026 World Cup, Lionel Messi will remain in third place with 36 goals. Robert Lewandowski, though, could continue his ascent up the all-time scoring charts once Poland return for more World Cup Qualifiers in November.
Ronaldo could have broken Ruiz’s record last time out for Portugal, but the 40-year-old saw his penalty kick saved by former Liverpool star Caoimhin Kelleher. The forward made up for his miss, though, in Tuesday’s victory.
Ronaldo has now found the back of the net 143 times for the Portugal national team, bringing his total career haul to 948 goals. The icon remains in pursuit of 1,000 goals and a World Cup title before he retires.
READ THE LATEST SOCCER NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MATCH REACTION
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Cristiano Ronaldo Makes World Cup History With Legendary Milestone.
