Cristiano Ronaldo continues to do what he does best: put the ball in the back of the net. By scoring career goal No. 985 for Al-Nassr against Al-Kholood, Ronaldo recorded his 67th career hat-trick. Yet, he holds only a narrow edge in that department over longtime rival Lionel Messi, with 2026 proving to be a landmark year for both global icons.
Ronaldo’s treble against Al-Kholood marks his first hat trick of the calendar year, whereas Messi has already logged two of his own: one against Algeria in the 2026 World Cup group stage, and a four-goal masterclass for Inter Miami against CF Montreal in MLS play.
In the historic chase for 1,000 career goals, both superstars continue to close in on the once-unfathomable milestone. With the Portuguese forward just 15 tallies away, quadruple digits are well within sight. Messi, meanwhile, has plenty of runway to chase the mark himself, with expectations pointing toward an Inter Miami stay through 2028 rather than a return to domestic Argentine soccer.
As their career stat lines continue to swell, anticipation is reaching a fever pitch over the final numbers both legends will post before hanging up their boots, with plenty of fixtures still left on their respective schedules.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Records shattered by Ronaldo and Messi in 2026
Ronaldo etched his name deeper into international soccer lore by becoming the first player in history to score in six separate World Cup tournaments, simultaneously cementing his place as Portugal’s all-time top World Cup marksman while extending his men’s all-time international scoring record.
Messi, meanwhile, transformed the 2026 tournament into his own personal record-shattering showcase. During Argentina’s campaign, he eclipsed Miroslav Klose to become the all-time leading goal scorer in FIFA World Cup history (reaching 21 goals) while emerging as the runaway leader in combined World Cup goals and assists.
His tour de force against Algeria made him the oldest player ever to register a World Cup hat trick (38 years, 357 days). By the knockout stages, Messi had established brand-new tournament benchmarks for most matches played (33), most match victories (22), and most total minutes logged on soccer’s biggest stage.
Key takeaways
- Cristiano Ronaldo scored one hat-trick in 2026, marking his first of the calendar year.
- Lionel Messi logged two hat-tricks in 2026 against Algeria and CF Montreal.
- Lionel Messi became the oldest player to score a World Cup hat-trick at 38.
