Cristiano Ronaldo sets record for most World Cups scored at – top 5 revealed | OneFootball

He just wasn’t going to let Lionel Messi set a record without getting one of his own, was he?

A day after Messi became the all-time record scorer in the World Cup, Ronaldo scored his first goal of the 2026 tournament. It’s the sixth World Cup he’s ever scored at – a feat matched by no other player.

As the only other man to appear in six World Cups, Messi may have more goals overall than Ronaldo, but he didn’t score in his second World Cup.

That means Ronaldo holds the record for most World Cups scored at. Here are the only five players to have netted at four or more of the tournaments.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo – 6

Ronaldo was just 21 years old when he scored his first World Cup goal, in his second appearance at the 2006 tournament against Iran.

Fast forward two decades and a 41-year-old Ronaldo has now scored in his second appearance at the 2026 World Cup, against Uzbekistan.

Finding the net at every World Cup in between – even if it was only once in 2010, 2014 and 2022 – Ronaldo has become a record breaker. It’s what he does.

Before his brace against Uzbekistan, the only previous World Cup where Ronaldo had scored more than once was 2018, when he got a hat-trick against Spain and another goal against Morocco.

He has now reached double figures of World Cup goals, overtaking Eusebio as his country’s top scorer at the tournament.

All of his goals, however, have come in the group stage.

2. Lionel Messi – 5

Messi scored on his World Cup debut in 2006 at the age of 18, before somehow drawing a blank from his next seven appearances in the competition.

That included the whole of the 2010 tournament, but he bounced back to score four goals in the 2014 group stage and then one in 2018.

He’s been a man on a mission since. Only needing a World Cup win to really settle the GOAT debate in the eyes of many, Messi scored seven goals in the 2022 tournament – including a brace in the final – as Argentina claimed the prize.

Five goals from his first two outings at the 2026 World Cup, at the ripe old age of 38, are further proof he was just a slow burner in this competition.

Messi is now its all-time leading scorer as well as top appearance maker.

3. Miroslav Klose – 4

Klose was the World Cup’s top scorer before Messi overtook him this month, having scored 16 goals for Germany between 2002 and 2014.

He scored a hat-trick of headers on his competition debut against Saudi Arabia at the age of 23 and then scored in both of their other group games too.

Five goals followed in 2006 and four in 2010, before Klose helped Germany to the trophy in 2014.

The two goals he scored in the process were enough for him to overtake the Brazilian Ronaldo in the World Cup scoring charts.

4. Pele – 4

The only three-time World Cup winner, Pele helped Brazil win in 1958, 1962 and 1970.

He scored six, one and four goals in those tournaments respectively, also notching one in 1966 when Brazil didn’t get out of their group.

A brace in the 1958 final as a teenager and goal in the 1970 final helped cement his legacy as one of the all-time greats.

5. Uwe Seeler – 4

Seeler scored in the same four World Cups as Pele, getting two each in 1958, 1962 and 1966 and then three in 1970.

He was a runner up with West Germany in 1966, captaining his country in the final against England.

His 21st and final World Cup appearance in 1970 was a competition record at the time, though not any more.