ALL TIME RANKING - LIONEL MESSI LEADER
All-time ranking for most opening goals in the World Cup qualification
We publish for the first time the all-time ranking for players who opened the score in most games of World Cup qualifying stages.
Lionel Messi who did it for Argentina in the recent game vs Ecuador (1-0) - Picture - increased his leadership in the ranking having now 14 opening goals.
Ex-record holder Carlos Ruiz (Guatemala) takes the second position with 12.
| MOST OPENING | GOALS | IN | WORLD CUP QUALIFYING STAGES | |
| Player | Country | Goals | By editions | |
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 14 | 2010(3), 2014(3), 2018(3), 2022(4), 2026(1) |
| 2 | Carlos Ruiz | Guatemala | 12 | 2002(3), 2006(5), 2010(0), 2014(2), 2018(2) |
| 3 | Andriy Shevchenko | Ukraine | 11 | 1998(3), 2002(3), 2006(3), 2010(2) |
| Alexander Frei | Switzerland | 11 | 2002(3), 2006(4), 2010(4) | |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | 11 | 2006(3), 2010(0), 2014(2), 2018(5), 2022(1) | |
| Luis Suárez | Uruguay | 11 | 2010(3), 2014(5), 2018(0), 2022(3) |