On a night destined for the history books, Lionel Messi carved out a new milestone even as his perennial rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, equally made headlines by becoming the all-time top scorer in World Cup qualifiers. The confluence of these two moments only deepens the narrative of one of football’s greatest rivalries — but also highlights how both icons continue to push the boundaries of what seems possible, even in the latter stages of their legendary careers.
Ronaldo’s Record: All-Time King of Qualifiers
In Portugal’s home clash vs. Hungary, Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice, bringing his total in World Cup qualifying matches to 40 goals, thereby eclipsing the long-standing record held by Guatemala’s Carlos Ruíz (39)
By doing so, the 40-year-old forward has become the all-time top scorer in World Cup qualifiers across all confederations — an achievement that underscores both his longevity and his uncanny ability to deliver when it counts.
That night, Ronaldo added further context to the feat by showing up when his nation needed a spark, reinforcing that his contributions extend beyond mere numbers. But the headlines weren’t reserved for him alone.
Messi’s Milestone: A Quiet Monument
On that very same evening, far from Portugal’s stadium, Lionel Messi was busy making history of his own. In a World Cup qualifier for Argentina against Venezuela, Messi netted a brace and in doing so, equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s tally of 36 goals in World Cup qualifiers.
That move pushed Messi past other legends (such as Ali Daei) and made him, temporarily, Ronaldo’s partner on that elite list — both sitting second in the all-time qualifiers scoring ladder, trailing only Ruíz.
Moreover, when he found the net that night, Messi also cemented a different kind of record: becoming just the second player in history to score for his national team over 20 consecutive years (from 2006 onward), trailing only Ronaldo in that particular longevity metric.
Though Messi’s feat was more subtle than Ronaldo’s headline grab, in the larger tapestry of their careers it remains deeply significant: a reminder that he continues to chip away at records, even when many considered him past the peak.
