Cristiano Ronaldo treated Portugal fans to two clinical goals on Tuesday night, claiming another sought-after record in the process.
With 41 goals to his name in 61 appearances, Portugal captain Ronaldo is now the all-time top scorer in World Cup qualifiers.
Cristiano Ronaldo Sets World Cup Qualifying Record
The Al-Nassr superstar scored the equaliser for Portugal in the 22nd minute, cancelling out Attila Szalai’s eighth-minute opener. It was Ronaldo’s 40th goal in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, which saw him surpass Carlos Ruiz (39 goals) as the all-time top scorer.
Former Guatemalan footballer Ruiz had set the record on 6 September 2016, scoring five goals in a 9-3 win over Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
💚❤️ Cristiano Ronaldo with a brace for Portugal, making it 948 career goals! ⭐️
143 goals for the Portuguese national team. pic.twitter.com/GJsPSssy40
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 14, 2025
Ronaldo was not content with just one goal, however. In the first-half injury time, he applied a first-time finish to put Portugal 2-1 up.
Portugal surprisingly could not secure World Cup qualification by holding on to their lead. Dominik Szoboszlai scored in the first minute of added time to make it 2-2 in Lisbon.
Ronaldo’s Scoring Rate Defies Laws of Football Biology
Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored a hat-trick in Al-Nassr’s 4-0 friendly win over Rio Ave in August, has set a 1000-goal target for himself. Earlier this month, he said he still had “a lot to give to Portugal and football”.
As of October 2025, Ronaldo, 40, has scored 948 official goals across club and country, emerging as the all-time leading scorer in men’s football. For Portugal, he has been on target 143 times in 17,926 minutes of football across 225 appearances. This translates to a career scoring rate of 0.72 goals per 90-minute game.
Cristiano Ronaldo Scoring Rate by Age
Cristiano Ronaldo made his Portugal senior team debut at the age of 18 years, 6 months, and 15 days under Luiz Felipe Scolari. His first goal came in his eighth appearance, in a 2-1 defeat to Greece in the EURO 2004 opener.
Before turning 20, Ronaldo played 18 games for Portugal, scoring seven goals. He clocked 1,130 minutes of football in that time, which took his scoring rate to 0.56 per game.
Between the ages of 20 and 30, Ronaldo played 7,980 minutes across 101 matches for Portugal. He scored 45 goals for his country with a scoring rate of 0.51 goals per 90 minutes.
Unlike most of his peers, Ronaldo did not explode in his 20s, at least in international football. He hit top gear after turning 30, and he has not stopped since.
The former Real Madrid superstar played 8,145 minutes of football for Portugal across 98 matches between the ages of 30 and 40. He scored a whopping 83 goals with a scoring rate of 0.92.
After turning 40, he has played 671 minutes of football in eight matches, scoring eight goals. Ronaldo is scoring at a rate of 1.07 goals per 90-minute match.
| Age Range | Goals | Matches | Minutes Played | Goals per 90 mins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before 20 | 7 | 18 | 1,130 | 0.56 |
| 20 to 29 | 45 | 101 | 7,980 | 0.51 |
| 30 to 39 | 83 | 98 | 8,145 | 0.92 |
| 40+ | 8 | 8 | 671 | 1.07 |
| Total | 143 | 225 | 17,926 | 0.72 |
How Many Goals Can Cristiano Ronaldo Score?
Since turning 30, Cristiano Ronaldo has played 106 games for Portugal, scoring a jaw-dropping 91 goals. In that span, he has helped his country to the 2016 European Championship as well as two UEFA Nations League titles.
With Portugal’s World Cup seat all but confirmed, Ronaldo is eyeing more history in international football. Additionally, the 2026 FIFA World Cup may not even be the end of the road for Ronaldo. If he stays fit and sharp, we can see him playing beyond the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico next year.
Estamos cada vez mais perto do nosso objetivo! Vamos, Portugal!🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/C7hafo1ZTl
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) October 14, 2025
Factoring in tougher fixtures in the World Cup and reduced minutes due to his age, we expect him to take his career tally to 150 goals.
If he extends beyond the World Cup and competes in European Championship qualifiers, it would not be a surprise to see him score even 160 goals, which would make his record untouchable for decades.
Here is a simple projection of how many international goals Ronaldo could end up scoring.
| Projection | Assumed Minutes | Assumed g/90 | Expected Added Goals | Career Goals (expected) | Career Minutes | Career g/90 (expected) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative (tough fixtures) | 900 | 0.60 | 6.0 | 149.0 | 18,826 | 0.71 |
| Base (mixed fixtures) | 1,200 | 0.70 | 9.3 | 152.3 | 19,126 | 0.72 |
| Extended (beyond World Cup) | 1,800 | 0.65 | 13.0 | 156.0 | 19,726 | 0.71 |
