One Cristiano Ronaldo record that Lionel Messi could break at 2026 World Cup

Rajarshi has been part of Khel Now since 2022, and he covers world football.

Published at :April 23, 2025 at 2:40 PM

Modified at :April 23, 2025 at 2:40 PM

Both Messi and Ronaldo are expected to take part in the competition next year.

The ongoing rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the things that keeps football fans excited, and in that environment, a new competition has formed between the two stars.

At the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the Argentine star can break the Portuguese star’s incredible record.

We must go back to 2018, when the Portugal national team and Spain faced off in the opening Group B encounter of the World Cup in Russia. On that day, Ronaldo became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the largest soccer tournament, making history.

Although the game ended in a draw despite his three goals, that does not lessen the significance of such an accomplishment. As long as Lionel Messi is playing at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, he will face the formidable task of reaching his lifelong adversary.

The Argentina national team’s captain beat the Al-Nassr star in another statistic during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar: goals scored in the knockout stage. This was something neither player had ever done before.

Both can still set a lot of records, but this one is particularly special because it’s Messi’s final chance to do so, as this looks like the final World Cup he’ll play for Argentina.

Since Ronaldo is also on the brink of his sixth and most likely final World Cup appearance for his nation, something similar is taking place on his side. Fans are anxious to find out how this episode will end with these cards on the table.

Both Messi and Ronaldo are expected to build on their already illustrious careers at the 2026 World Cup. There is no doubt that the world will be watching, regardless of whether Messi breaks Ronaldo’s record or Ronaldo extends his own.

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Rajarshi Shukla

After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.