Houston: Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo has added another remarkable milestone to his legendary career, officially becoming the second-oldest goalscorer in the history of the FIFA World Cup.

The 41-year-old captain secured the distinction during Portugal’s Group K clash against Uzbekistan at the Houston Stadium on Tuesday, 23 June 2026. Ronaldo opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a clinical finish. At 41 years and 138 days old, the striker has rewritten the tournament’s longevity records, proving that his predatory instincts remain entirely undiminished.

Bypassing Pepe and Messi

By finding the net in Texas, Ronaldo has bypassed several icons of the game in the all-time veteran scoring charts. The Portugal captain has overtaken his former international teammate Pepe, who previously held the second spot after scoring a header against Switzerland during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar at the age of 39 years and 283 days.

Ronaldo's historic strike also edges out his long-time rival, Argentina captain Lionel Messi. Messi had briefly vaulted into the third position of the veteran rankings just days earlier, when he scored a magnificent hat-trick against Algeria on 16 June 2026 at the age of 38 years and 357 days.

Chasing Roger Milla’s Ultimate Record

While Ronaldo has successfully claimed the second spot, the ultimate World Cup longevity record remains intact. Cameroon legend Roger Milla remains the oldest goalscorer in men's World Cup history. "The Old Lion" was 42 years and 39 days old when he famously scored a consolation goal against Russia during the 1994 World Cup in the United States.

Ronaldo's clinical strike makes him only the second player over the age of 40 to score a goal at a men's World Cup finals, joining Milla in an incredibly exclusive club.

The early breakthrough helped settle a Portuguese team that had faced intense media scrutiny following a sluggish 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in their opening fixture.