Messi and Ronaldo, Continue Making History at World Cup 2026
Even though Lionel Messi has reached 39th and Cristiano Ronaldo is 41st, they are still breaking records in FIFA World Cup 2026.
It looks like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's last time to participate in the FIFA World Cup, but there is no sign that they are slowing down on football's biggest stage. On Messi's 39th birthday, he scored twice against Austria to take his tally to 18 goals in World Cup history—the most on record. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo, now 41, became the first player to score in six different World Cups after scoring a brace against Uzbekistan.
After Messi's hat-trick against Algeria in Argentina's first match, and then a double against Austria, the pressure was on Ronaldo. Following Portugal's unfavorable draw against DR Congo and rumors of a team rift, Ronaldo answered critics by setting a golden record: he scored in six consecutive World Cups (2006 to 2026). Messi is the only other player to do it all, but he didn't score in 2010.
Ronaldo ended a streak of eleven World Cup matches without scoring, dating back to their first against Ghana in 2022. At 41 years and 138 days, he is the second-oldest World Cup scorer, behind Cameroon's Roger Milla. Ronaldo has the double honor of becoming the third player to be the youngest and oldest World Cup scorer for his country, joining Denmark's Michael Laudrup and Argentina's Messi.
<figure style="margin:2rem 0;overflow:hidden;border:1px solid #e2e2e2;background:#f9f9f9"><img src="https://s.yimg.com/lo/mysterio/api/03fb80cadcb1c77d18f5e0b12d287b5cfef9071f0ce64fe884663f7328adb0b1/lightyear_networkapi/resizefill_w1200;quality_80;format_webp/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Fbbc_us_articles_995%2F990c0bdc494d328b02486bf3412b6c78" alt="Image" style="width:100%;height:auto;object-fit:contain" loading="lazy" /></figure>Both Messi and Ronaldo scored their first and last World Cup goals two decades apart—20 years and 11 days apart. Despite the view that it doesn't matter how many goals Messi scores, Portugal coach Roberto Martinez and Ronaldo's former teammate Wayne Rooney openly admit that their competition is also an inspiration. "He always wants to be the best," Rooney said of Ronaldo's determination, especially when other superstars, like Messi, are scoring more.
The game adaptation of the two as they got older is remarkable. Since turning 35, Messi has exploded in World Cup production with 12 goals in the last nine games—two more than Ronaldo with 10, and tied with Pele on the all-time World Cup scoring list. Ronaldo has reached eight since 35 in the combined World Cup and European competition matches.
Ronaldo is aiming to reach 1,000 career goals, just 25 short after the match in Uzbekistan. The former Ballon d'Or status of the two is no longer bright, especially after moving outside the big league in Europe, but their rivalry remains action-packed and meaningful. It is possible that Portugal and Argentina will meet in the knockout stage of the World Cup 2026 which could be the last battle of the two legends.
In the end, nothing seems impossible for Messi and Ronaldo. They continue to write history and inspire audiences around the world.
