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<p>Lionel Messi ranks third</p>
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<img alt="Cristiano Ronaldo breaks World Cup qualifiers record with Messi third" src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/galerie/wcq-spot-1760525467-180416.png" title="Cristiano Ronaldo breaks World Cup qualifiers record with Messi third">
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<p>Cristiano Ronaldo, now in the twilight years of his remarkable career, continues to shatter records at the age of 40. Last night, Portugal found themselves in a disappointing 2-2 draw against Hungary in Lisbon, with Dominic Szoboszlai scoring a late equalizer. Despite the result, Ronaldo stole the spotlight by scoring two goals, bringing his total to 143 for his country in 225 international appearances.</p>
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<p>With this performance, Ronaldo achieved his 40th and 41st goals in World Cup qualifiers, making him the all-time leading scorer in this category. He has expressed his desire to continue playing for a few more years, with the aspiration of winning the World Cup next summer. Speaking about his future, he stated, “I want to keep playing for a few more years, not many, I have to be honest. I’m still producing good things, helping my club and the national team. Why not continue?” Alongside his remarkable feat, he has now surpassed the record previously held by Carlos Ruiz, who scored 39 goals for Guatemala. This raises the question of who else belongs to the top ten scorers in World Cup qualifying history.</p>
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<h2>World Cup Qualifying Record Goalscorers</h2>
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<p>Ronaldo's first goal against Hungary solidified his record, followed by his 41st goal in just 51 World Cup qualifier matches. Lionel Messi, Ronaldo’s greatest rival, sits in third place with 36 goals from 72 qualifiers for Argentina.</p>
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<img alt="" height="629" src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/newsansicht/wcq-scorers-1760525440-180415.png?lm=1760525448" width="503">
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<p>As seen in the graphic, other notable players feature in the top ten, including Robert Lewandowski, who is undoubtedly Poland’s finest player with 33 goals in 42 qualifiers. Interestingly, all players in the top ten are attackers, with the exception of former Iran international Karim Bagheri, a defensive midfielder, known for an astounding seven-goal performance in one match against the Maldives.</p>
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