Cristiano Ronaldo continues to etch his name in football’s history books. The Portugal captain has now equalled the long-standing record of 39 goals in World Cup qualifying matches, previously held by Guatemala’s legendary striker Carlos Ruiz.
The record-setting moment came on Tuesday during Portugal’s thrilling 3-2 World Cup qualifier victory over Hungary at the Puskás Arena in Budapest. Ronaldo converted a penalty that brought his tally to 39, placing him level with Ruiz.
The match itself was a rollercoaster: Hungary took the lead, Portugal responded, and the hosts fought back before João Cancelo’s late strike in the 86th minute sealed the win for the visitors.
With this goal, Ronaldo stands on the verge of outright history. The Al-Nassr forward needs just one more goal to become the top scorer in World Cup qualifying history.
The 39-year-old icon still has four matches ahead in Portugal’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign—two fixtures against Ireland, another clash with Hungary, and a meeting with Armenia. Each presents a golden opportunity for Ronaldo to cement his name at the summit of this record.
As he edges closer, fans around the world are once again reminded why Ronaldo remains one of football’s greatest ever.
