Greater than 20 years after their skilled debuts, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi proceed to battle for world soccer supremacy week after week. Now the Portuguese ahead has pulled forward of the Argentine star in yet one more milestone—one which places him inside hanging distance of historical past in World Cup qualifiers.
Ronaldo scored a brace for Portugal towards Armenia on Matchday 1 of Group F in UEFA qualifying. Not solely did it assist his workforce cruise to a cushty 5–0 victory and take the highest spot within the standings, but it surely additionally boosted his private scoring tally.
Cristiano has now moved forward of Messi within the all-time World Cup qualifiers scoring chart throughout all confederations. Leo had drawn stage at 36 targets this previous Thursday, when he additionally netted a brace towards Venezuela in Buenos Aires.
With 38 targets, CR7 now sits only one behind the all-time chief. Carlos Ruiz at the moment holds the document with 39 targets for Guatemala in Concacaf qualifiers in the course of the World Cup cycles for Korea-Japan 2002, Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, and Russia 2018.
Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz holds the all-time scoring document in World Cup qualifiers.
When may Ronaldo break Ruiz’s document?
With Carlos Ruiz retired from skilled soccer since 2016 and Lionel Messi having introduced he’ll not play World Cup qualifiers for Argentina, the trail seems clear for Cristiano Ronaldo to assert the all-time document for himself.
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The truth is, CR7 may match—and even surpass—Ruiz’s document as early as subsequent week. On Tuesday, September 9, Portugal will play their second Group F match towards Hungary on the Puskas Area in Budapest. If Ronaldo scores as soon as, he’ll tie Ruiz. With two or extra targets, he’ll sit alone on the high.
And even when issues don’t go his manner on Tuesday, the 40-year-old ahead will nonetheless have no less than 4 extra alternatives this yr to take the document. That’s the minimal variety of matches Portugal have remaining within the World Cup qualifiers on the street to the 2026 event in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
Ronaldo nears 1,000 profession targets
With Saturday’s brace towards Armenia, Cristiano Ronaldo reached 942 targets throughout his skilled profession. That features targets scored with the Portugal nationwide workforce and with golf equipment Sporting CP, Manchester United, Actual Madrid, Juventus, and Al Nassr. At 40 years previous, CR7 stays the all-time main scorer and continues to shut in on the 1,000-goal milestone.
