Cristiano Ronaldo has spent much of his career rewriting football’s record books and as the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, the Portugal captain is once again preparing to make history.
At 41, Ronaldo remains the face of a talented Portuguese squad widely regarded as one of the strongest contenders for the trophy in North America. With the remarkable milestone of 1,000 career goals now within sight, the legendary forward continues to prove that age is little more than a number.
Yet despite all his achievements, one World Cup record will remain beyond his reach in 2026.
Roger Milla’s Historic Mark Still Safe
Ronaldo is set to feature in his sixth World Cup, extending a career that has already surpassed expectations. However, even if he scores throughout the tournament, he will not become the oldest goalscorer in World Cup history.
That distinction still belongs to Cameroon icon Roger Milla, who scored against Russia at the 1994 World Cup in the United States at the age of 42 years and 39 days.
The record has stood untouched for more than three decades and will survive another tournament regardless of Ronaldo’s performances.
Ronaldo Can Still Climb the Rankings
Currently, the second-oldest goalscorer in World Cup history is former Portugal defender Pepe, who found the net against Switzerland at the 2022 World Cup aged 39 years and 283 days.
Ronaldo sits third on that list thanks to his goal against Ghana in Qatar, scored when he was 37 years and 292 days old.
If he scores during the 2026 tournament, he will move ahead of Pepe and become the second-oldest player ever to score at a World Cup. However, he would still fall short of Milla’s remarkable record.
Should Ronaldo score in Portugal’s group-stage matches, he would be:
- 41 years, 4 months and 10 days against DR Congo
- 41 years, 4 months and 16 days against Uzbekistan
- 41 years, 4 months and 21 days against Colombia
Even if Portugal reach the final and Ronaldo scores on July 19, he would still be only 41 years and 5 months old, leaving him several months shy of Milla’s benchmark.
Other Veterans Could Challenge for Second Place
Ronaldo is not the only experienced star looking to leave a mark on the tournament.
Veterans such as Luka Modrić, Edin Džeko and Yuto Nagatomo could also climb the all-time rankings if they score during the competition.
Several of the tournament’s oldest participants are goalkeepers, including Fernando Muslera, Manuel Neuer and Guillermo Ochoa.
One player who could genuinely threaten Milla’s record is Craig Gordon. At 43 years old, the Scottish veteran is the only player at the 2026 World Cup old enough to potentially become the tournament’s oldest-ever goalscorer, though the chances of a goalkeeper finding the net remain slim.
Could Ronaldo Have One Last World Cup Left?
For now, Ronaldo’s focus will be on helping Portugal challenge for football’s biggest prize while adding another chapter to his extraordinary legacy.
Breaking Roger Milla’s record may be impossible in 2026, but football has learned never to underestimate Cristiano Ronaldo. If the Portuguese superstar still harbours ambitions of becoming the oldest scorer in World Cup history, the 2030 tournament, which will be co-hosted by Portugal, Spain and Morocco, could provide one final opportunity.
Until then, Ronaldo’s mission is clear: keep scoring, keep winning, and keep climbing higher among football’s immortals.
