Cristiano Ronaldo Targets Another Record as Portugal Begin FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifying Against Armenia
SME News UK. Cristiano Ronaldo returns to international duty this weekend as Portugal, fresh from winning the 2025 UEFA Nations League, kick off their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign with a trip to Armenia. At 40 years old, the legendary forward remains relentless in his pursuit of records, and another milestone is now firmly in sight.Ronaldo already stands as the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football with 138 goals for Portugal. He also recently netted his 100th competitive goal for Saudi club Al-Nassr, underlining his continued sharpness in front of goal. But on the global stage, another benchmark beckons.Chasing Carlos Ruiz’s World Cup Qualifying RecordThe Portuguese captain has scored 36 goals in 47 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches—already the highest tally in European qualifying history. However, the world record is still held by Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz, who struck 39 times across five qualifying campaigns between 2002 and 2018. Remarkably, Ruiz never appeared in a World Cup finals.That means Ronaldo now sits just three goals shy of equalling the global record, with a strong chance of surpassing Ruiz during Portugal’s qualification journey. Should he do so, it would add yet another remarkable achievement to his storied career.Portugal’s Path to North AmericaPortugal’s group sees them face Armenia, Hungary, and the Republic of Ireland home and away. Roberto Martínez’s side begin with consecutive away fixtures against Armenia and Hungary before hosting Ireland and then the Hungarians in Lisbon. Their campaign concludes in November with a trip to Dublin before welcoming Armenia at home.Ronaldo’s Record Against Group OpponentsHistory suggests Ronaldo will relish these fixtures. He has scored six times against Hungary, including twice in World Cup qualifiers. Against Armenia, he has five goals to his name, including a memorable hat-trick during Euro 2016 qualifying. Meanwhile, Ireland will remember his dramatic late brace in 2021 World Cup qualifying, when he overturned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 victory. Those goals not only secured Portugal’s win but also saw Ronaldo surpass Ali Daei to become the all-time top scorer in men’s international football.Still Hungry at 40Whether Ronaldo continues beyond the 2026 World Cup remains uncertain, but what is clear is his unwavering desire to compete and break records. With Portugal looking strong after their Nations League triumph, their captain will once again be at the center of attention as he edges closer to rewriting yet another chapter in football history.
