Cristiano Ronaldo Breaks Lionel Messi's FIFA World Cup Record Of...

Cristiano Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, and on Tuesday (June 23), during Portugal’s second Group K match of the FIFA World Cup 2026, he entered the history books by becoming the oldest player to score a brace in a World Cup match. He is also the first player in the world to score two goals in a FIFA World Cup match after turning 40.

Ronaldo, who is also the only player to have scored in six FIFA World Cup editions, opened the scoring against Uzbekistan in the sixth minute and found the back of the net again in the 39th minute.

Before Ronaldo, who was 41 years and 138 days old on June 23, 2026, the record for being the oldest player to score a brace in a FIFA World Cup match was held by Lionel Messi.

Messi was 38 years and 363 days old when he scored twice for Argentina in their Group J match against Austria at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on June 22, 2026.

Oldest players to score brace in FIFA World Cup

PLAYER	COUNTRY	AGE	AGAINST	VENUE	DATE
Cristiano Ronaldo	Portugal	41 years, 138 days	Uzbekistan	NRG Stadium, Houston	June 23, 2026
Lionel Messi	Argentina	38 years, 363 days	Austria	AT&T Stadium, Arlington	June 22, 2026
Roger Milla	Cameroon	38 years, 34 days	Colombia	Stadio San Paolo, Naples	June 23, 1990
Olivier Giroud	France	36 years, 53 days	Australia	Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah	November 22, 2022
László Fazekas	Hungary	34 years, 243 days	El Salvador	Nuevo Estadio, Elche	June 15, 1982

In the list of the oldest players to score a brace in FIFA World Cup history, Ronaldo and Messi are followed by Roger Milla of Cameroon. Milla scored two goals against Colombia in the 1990 FIFA World Cup at the age of 38 years and 34 days.

The two goals Ronaldo scored against Uzbekistan also helped him break Portugal’s record for the most goals scored in FIFA World Cup history. Ronaldo has now scored 10 goals in 24 FIFA World Cup matches. Eusébio, on the other hand, found the back of the net nine times for Portugal during the 1966 edition of the FIFA World Cup.

Had Ronaldo managed to score one more goal against Uzbekistan, he would have become the oldest player to score a hat-trick in a FIFA World Cup match.

As of now, the record for being the oldest player to score three goals in a World Cup match is held by Lionel Messi. Messi was 38 years and 357 days old when he netted a hat-trick against Algeria on June 16, 2026.