Cristiano Ronaldo is now just a single strike away from standing alone as the all-time top scorer in World Cup qualifying. The Portuguese forward reached 38 goals after finding the net twice against Armenia on Saturday in Lisbon. One more and he’ll sit at the top of the list. Adding even more spice to this chase, Lionel Messi also scored twice during the same international break. His brace helped Argentina beat Venezuela at the Monumental de Núñez and lifted his total to 36. For nearly two decades these two have shared trophies, records and headlines, and here they are again, fighting for another milestone — this time on the stage of World Cup qualifiers.
A rivalry that doesn’t stop
At 40 years old, Ronaldo keeps racking up milestones that seem to mock the calendar. Even playing in a league with less visibility, he finds in Portugal the fuel to stay decisive. Against Armenia, he not only secured three important points but also showed once again that his obsession with records hasn’t eased with age. Messi, two years younger and living the day-to-day grind of MLS, stays loyal to his role as Argentina’s captain. Playing at home in Buenos Aires, he added another qualifier to his career and reached eight goals in this edition. That brought his total to 36, which until recently made him the top scorer in the history of the competition. Now, Ronaldo has pushed past him.
What makes this rivalry special is that it simply refuses to fade. Many thought once they left European soccer the spotlight would shift elsewhere, that Ronaldo and Messi would slowly drift into the background. What we’ve seen is the exact opposite. One scores, the other responds. One breaks a record, the other shows up again. Even now, while competing in different qualifying campaigns, the race continues at a furious pace.
The weight of the numbers and what lies ahead
With those two goals against Armenia, Ronaldo climbed to 38 in World Cup qualifying, once again creating a two-goal cushion over Messi’s 36. Portugal sits in Group F in Europe alongside Hungary, Ireland and Armenia. Up next is Hungary on Tuesday at the Puskás Arena — a fitting stage for what could become another piece of history in Cristiano Ronaldo’s already staggering career.