Cristiano Ronaldo Poised to Break Another World Record After Moving Clear of Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo is closing in on another world record.

A brace in Portugal’s 5-0 victory in Armenia on Saturday lifted him to 38 goals in men’s World Cup qualifiers. That is just one shy of Guatemalan Carlos Ruiz’s all-time record.

Lionel Messi had briefly moved level with Ronaldo by bagging a brace of his own less than 24 hours earlier as Argentina beat Venezuela 3-0.

Cristiano Ronaldo chasing World Cup qualifying record

Ronaldo’s goals in Yerevan came in the 21st and 46th minutes, either side of a Joao Cancelo strike and before Joao Felix added two more. The result was emphatic, but it was the numbers behind Ronaldo’s brace that made headlines.

The 40-year-old is now the leading active scorer in FIFA World Cup qualifying. The only man ahead of him is Ruiz, who plundered 39 goals between 2002 and 2018.

Messi is technically still active, but the Argentina forward has almost certainly made his last appearance in World Cup qualifying. Ronaldo, by contrast, will get another chance on Tuesday night when Portugal visit Hungary in Budapest. After that, Roberto Martinez’s side still have four qualifiers left to play before 2026 begins.

The European record for World Cup qualifying goals is already Ronaldo’s. Robert Lewandowski sits second on that list, six behind. With Portugal strong favourites to top their group and with five qualifiers still to play, it feels inevitable that Ronaldo will push clear of Ruiz and stand alone at the top.

Lionel Messi may have played his final game for Argentina

Messi’s brace against Venezuela last Thursday was billed as a farewell, and the occasion lived up to it. More than 80,000 fans packed into the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires to salute their captain. He walked out with his three sons, received a hero’s welcome, and was serenaded throughout a match that felt more like a tribute than a qualifier.

The 38-year-old did not disappoint. He opened the scoring late in the first half with a delicate finish over the Venezuelan goalkeeper, before adding his second after the break. Lautaro Martínez grabbed the other goal in a 3-0 victory that confirmed Argentina’s place at the top of the CONMEBOL standings.

Afterwards, Messi admitted the game had been “very, very special” but confirmed he would not travel to Ecuador for Argentina’s final qualifier. With Argentina having already booked their spot at the biggest World Cup ever, he has chosen to rest ahead of the MLS run-in with Inter Miami. That decision means his tally in World Cup qualifying freezes at 36 goals from 72 appearances.

The bigger question is whether he will feature at the World Cup itself in 2026. Messi has repeatedly said his future depends on how he feels physically. He admitted recently: “Because of my age, the most logical thing is that I won’t make it. But well, we’re almost there, so I’m excited and motivated to play it. Like I always say, I go day by day.”

His words echoed those he gave after winning the 2022 World Cup. Then, he insisted he would continue “as long as my body allows.”

What world records does Cristiano Ronaldo have?

• Cristiano Ronaldo is the all-time top scorer in men’s international football, with 140 goals for Portugal.
• Cristiano Ronaldo is the most-capped male player in international football, with 222 appearances.
• Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player to score at least one senior international goal in 22 consecutive calendar years (2004–2025)
• Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in five separate FIFA World Cups, the most of any male player.
• Cristiano Ronaldo is the oldest player to score a hat-trick at a World Cup finals tournament, at 33 years and 130 days (June 2018).
• Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player to score 50+ goals in seven consecutive calendar years (2011–2017).
• Cristiano Ronaldo has scored the most goals in the history of men’s football, with 943 across club and country (IFFHS criteria).
• Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player to score in every minute of a football match, from the 1st through to the 90th.

What world records does Lionel Messi have?

• Lionel Messi has won the most Ballon d’Or awards in history, with eight.
• Lionel Messi scored the most official goals in a calendar year, hitting 91 in 2012.
• Lionel Messi is the only player to win the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball twice (2014 and 2022).
• Lionel Messi has the most goal contributions in World Cup finals tournaments, with 21 (13 goals and eight assists).
• Lionel Messi holds the record for most Man of the Match awards at World Cup finals, with 11.
• Lionel Messi is the only player to win Man of the Match in every round of a World Cup (group stage, last 16, quarter-final, semi-final, final).
• Lionel Messi has made the most appearances at FIFA World Cups, playing in 26 matches.
• Lionel Messi has played the most minutes at World Cups, with 2,314.
• Lionel Messi is the only player to score at a World Cup in his teens, twenties and thirties.
• Lionel Messi has won 46 official top-level team trophies, making him the most decorated footballer in history.

And these are only some of their records. Messi and Ronaldo have spent two decades rewriting football’s history books.

Some other records include Ronaldo’s status as the all-time leading scorer in the UEFA Champions League and Messi’s remarkable dominance in La Liga, where he set scoring and assist records that may never be broken.