Cristiano Ronaldo etched his name further into football history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, becoming the second-oldest goalscorer in tournament history when he netted against Uzbekistan aged 41 years and 138 days. Yet one man still stands above him — and that man is African.

Milla's record that refuses to fall

Cameroon legend Roger Milla holds the record as the oldest scorer in World Cup history, having found the net aged 42 years and 39 days against Russia at USA 94. His goal, celebrated with that iconic shimmy by the corner flag, came in a 6-1 defeat that sent the Indomitable Lions crashing out at the group stage — but the record has endured for more than three decades.

Milla had already captured the world's imagination four years earlier at Italia 90, scoring four goals as Cameroon became the first African nation to reach the quarter-finals of a World Cup. His trademark corner-flag dance became one of football's most recognisable celebrations.

Messi pushed further down the list

Ronaldo's goal against Uzbekistan also had a secondary consequence: it dropped Lionel Messi from third to fourth on the all-time list. Messi, who celebrated his 39th birthday this week, had moved into the conversation after scoring against Austria aged 38 years and 363 days.

Messi could yet fall further. Bosnia-Herzegovina striker Edin Dzeko and Croatia midfielder Luka Modric, both 40, could leapfrog him with a single goal. Japan centre-back Yuto Nagamoto — nine months Messi's senior — has not yet appeared at the tournament.

Could a goalkeeper make history?

Six goalkeepers at the 2026 World Cup are older than Messi, among them Germany's Manuel Neuer, Cape Verde's Vozinha, and Uruguay's Fernando Muslera. However, no goalkeeper has ever scored in any of the tournament's 22 editions dating back to 1930, so that particular record looks safe.

Austria's Marko Arnautovic, 37, also crept into the top ten after converting a late penalty in the win over Jordan, entering the list at number eight.

Could the record fall in 2030?

Milla's landmark looks set to stand unless Ronaldo or Messi remain active when the 2030 World Cup comes around — a tournament that will include matches played on home soil for both, with Portugal and Argentina among the co-hosts.

The top 10 oldest goalscorers in World Cup history, as it stands today, is as follows: Roger Milla (Cameroon, 42 years and 39 days), Ronaldo (Portugal, 41 years and 138 days), Pepe (Portugal, 39 years and 283 days), Messi (Argentina, 38 years and 363 days), Gunnar Gren (Sweden, 37 years and 236 days), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Mexico, 37 years and 151 days), Felipe Baloy (Panama, 37 years and 120 days), Arnautovic (Austria, 37 years and 58 days), Obdulio Varela (Uruguay, 36 years and 279 days), and Martin Palermo (Argentina, 36 years and 227 days).