Ronaldo Becomes All-time Top World Cup Qualifying Scorer At 40

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has once again etched his name in football history, becoming the all-time top goalscorer in World Cup qualifying matches at the age of 40.

The legendary forward achieved the milestone on Tuesday night against Hungary, scoring twice to bring his tally to 41 World Cup qualifying goals, surpassing former Guatemala international Carlos Ruiz, who held the previous record with 39 goals scored between 1998 and 2016.

Ronaldo levelled for Portugal in the 22nd minute, converting a cross from Nelson Semedo to cancel out Hungary’s early lead. He struck again before half-time, finishing from Nuno Mendes’ assist to hand Roberto Martinez’s side a 2–1 advantage at the break.

However, Portugal were denied an early qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be hosted in the United States, Mexico, and Canada after Dominik Szoboszlai scored a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser for Hungary.

Despite the draw, Ronaldo’s performance further cements his status as one of football’s greatest ever players. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who already holds the record as men’s all-time leading international scorer with 143 goals, has expressed his desire to feature in what would be his sixth World Cup appearance next year.