Messi vs Ronaldo: Despite their age, two of the greatest stars, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, still appear on the football field as ever. They are still consistent in breaking and building each other’s records. Two days ago, Messi scored a brace against Venezuela in Argentina’s World Cup qualifier. Ronaldo also scored a brace in Portugal’s jersey in the European World Cup qualifier.
Portugal played their first qualifying match against Armenia yesterday (Saturday) night. Where the host Armenia was blown away 5-0. For Portugal, Ronaldo and Joao Felix scored a goal and Joao Cancelo scored one. In this match, CR7 scored the second highest 38 goals in World Cup qualifying. Messi had touched him with a double last Friday. This time Ronaldo is on the verge of surpassing him and is on the verge of becoming the top scorer.
The Portuguese superstar got on the scoreboard in the 21st minute of the match. Ronaldo jumped to the net after Pedro Neto’s floating ball and touched his foot. Which was his fourth goal in a row for the national team. Ronaldo scored a spectacular long-range goal at the beginning of the second half. Taking advantage of the opponent’s inability to control the ball, he took a bullet-speed shot from outside the box. Although he had some reach, the goalkeeper was unable to stop it.
With this, Ronaldo has scored 140 goals in international football (122 matches) and the second-highest 38th in World Cup qualifying. Only Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz is ahead of him in terms of the most goals in qualifying. He scored 39 goals in 47 matches in the fight to qualify for the World Cup. On the other hand, Messi scored 36 goals in 72 matches. Argentina, which has long secured its place in the 2026 World Cup, has one more qualifying match left. In which match Messi has said he will not play. As a result, there is probably no chance of catching Ronaldo!
Most goals in World Cup qualifiers
Carlos Ruiz (Guatemala) 47 matches – 39 goals
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) 48 matches – 38 goals
Lionel Messi (Argentina) 72 matches – 36 goals
Ali Daei (Iran) 51 matches – 35 goals
Robert Lewandowski (Poland) 40 matches – 31 goals
Luis Suarez (Uruguay) 64 matches – 29 goals
On the other hand, Portugal from the European region has just started the qualifying round. They are in Group F with Armenia, Ireland and Hungary. In the group stage, each team will face each other twice in a home-away format. At the end of the group stage, 12 teams will directly qualify for the main round of the World Cup. The remaining 12 runners-up will advance to the play-offs with 4 teams.
FAQ
How many World Cup qualifying goals has Cristiano Ronaldo scored?
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 38 goals in World Cup qualifiers, putting him just one goal behind the all-time record holder Carlos Ruiz.
How many World Cup qualifying goals has Lionel Messi scored?
Lionel Messi has scored 36 goals in 72 World Cup qualifying matches for Argentina.
Who holds the record for most World Cup qualifying goals?
Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz holds the record with 39 goals in 47 matches. Ronaldo is only one goal behind him.
Did Messi and Ronaldo both score recently?
Yes. Messi scored twice against Venezuela in South America’s qualifiers, while Ronaldo scored a brace in Portugal’s 5-0 win over Armenia.
Can Messi catch Ronaldo in this record chase?
It looks difficult. Argentina has already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, and Messi has said he won’t play the next qualifier.
