Cristiano Ronaldo on verge of extending incredible Portugal goalscoring record despite international retirement

Cristiano Ronaldo’s international retirement has brought an extraordinary chapter of his career to a close, but his influence on Portuguese soccer could continue to grow even after his departure from the national team. At 41, the Al-Nassr forward remains a prolific goalscorer, and his remarkable consistency has left him on the verge of extending a long-standing national record.

His international career ended on November 5, 2026, when he announced his decision to step away from Portugal after 23 years. Although his final appearance for the national team came in September, Ronaldo could still finish the calendar year with another individual milestone that underlines his remarkable longevity.

The veteran’s importance to the Selecao stretches far beyond his individual scoring records. He helped the national team secure its first major international trophy at Euro 2016 and established standards that influenced generations of players, including Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and Rafael Leao.

His departure also marks a significant change in leadership, with Bernardo Silva reportedly taking over the captaincy. While Ronaldo’s final international chapter ended amid reported tensions involving head coach Jorge Jesus and the Portuguese Football Federation, his achievements remain central to the country’s soccer history.

Cristiano Ronaldo #7 of Portugal celebrates with Bernardo Silva #10

Ronaldo’s dominance among Portuguese goalscorers

A breakdown of Portugal’s leading goalscorers in each calendar year since 2010 highlights just how consistently Ronaldo has outperformed his compatriots. According to Transfermarkt figures, Ronaldo has finished as the leading Portuguese goalscorer in 15 of the 16 calendar years between 2010 and 2025. His totals were particularly impressive during his peak years, reaching 69 goals in 2013, 63 in 2012 and 61 in 2014.

He also scored 57 in 2015, 55 in 2016 and 53 in 2017, maintaining an extraordinary level of production across different stages of his career. The only interruption came in 2022, when Goncalo Ramos finished ahead of him with 30 goals. Ronaldo recorded 16 that year, having endured a difficult period at Manchester United and seen his playing time become increasingly limited.

Ramos’ impressive year included his performances for Benfica and Portugal, with his hat-trick against Switzerland at the 2022 World Cup providing one of the highlights. Ronaldo, meanwhile, struggled to secure a regular starting place at Manchester United before leaving the club by mutual agreement in November.

His retirement from international soccer in November 2026 has now closed the door on adding to his Portugal tally. He finished with 146 goals in 234 appearances, remaining the leading scorer in men’s international soccer, while also captaining his country to Euro 2016 and Nations League triumphs in 2019 and 2025.

Ronaldo is favorite to extend his record in 2026

Despite ending his international career, Ronaldo remains in contention to finish another calendar year as Portugal’s leading goalscorer. The 2026 figures credit him with 28 goals across club and international soccer, including 25 for Al-Nassr and three for Portugal at the World Cup.

That would put him in a strong position to claim the distinction again, although the precise ranking depends on consistently counting official goals across all competitions. His closest Portuguese challengers include Joao Felix, Goncalo Ramos, Rafael Leao and Bruno Fernandes, but none has yet matched his combined tally.

Joao Felix and Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr

Ronaldo’s remaining opportunities will come exclusively with Al-Nassr, where he continues to pursue further milestones. Even without another appearance for Portugal, he could therefore extend his extraordinary run and finish as his country’s leading scorer for the 16th time since 2010.