2026 World Cup: Cristiano Ronaldo Sets a Record That Messi Will Never Be Able to Break

Cristiano Ronaldo has once again made World Cup history. With his goal in the sixth minute of the match against Uzbekistan—coached by Fabio Cannavaro—the 41-year-old Portuguese forward has become the first player ever to score in six different World Cup tournaments.

For CR7, this is his ninth World Cup goal overall, tying him with his compatriot Eusébio’s record: one goal at Germany 2006 against Iran, one at South Africa 2010 against North Korea, one at Brazil 2014 against Ghana, four at Russia 2018 (including a hat trick against Spain and a goal against Morocco), one at Qatar 2022 against Ghana, and now the goal scored in the current tournament being held in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.

The Portuguese star’s record can no longer be broken by Lionel Messi, who, like CR7, has participated in six World Cups but failed to score at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

With this goal, Ronaldo also becomes the second-oldest goalscorer in World Cup history. The record remains held by Roger Milla, who scored at age 42 years and 39 days against Russia at USA 1994, surpassing his own record set four years earlier.

The former Juventus forward then added to his tally by scoring his second goal of the match late in the first half against Uzbekistan, allowing him to set another record: that of Portugal’s all-time leading World Cup scorer, surpassing the legendary Eusebio.