Former Guatemala forward Carlos Ruiz holds the record for most goals in FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The striker, who featured in 133 international matches for Guatemala, scored 39 goals in 47 qualifying matches.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo could break Ruiz’s record in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers.
The Manchester United forward has struck 36 times in 45 qualifying matches and is three goals away from adding yet another record to his resume.
Ali Daeli, who was the leading goalscorer in international football until Cristiano Ronaldo broke the record in September 2021, is third for most goals scored in FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The legendary Iranian forward scored 34 goals in 49 games and is fondly remembered for his four goals in Iran’s 7-0 win against Laos in a 2006 World Cup qualifying match.
Poland’s Robert Lewandowski has scored 29 goals in 36 World Cup qualifying matches, putting him in fourth spot on the list for most goals in FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The Bayern Munich star has netted a hat-trick on three occasions in World Cup qualifiers and is poised to add more to his tally in the Path C final of their European World Cup qualifiers against Sweden/Czech Republic.
Luis Suarez completes the top five list for players with the most goals in FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The Uruguayan attacker has struck 28 times in 60 matches with his most recent goals coming in fixtures against Venezuela and Paraguay.
Most goals in FIFA World Cup qualifiers
| Player | Country | Matches | Goals |
| Carlos Ruiz | Guatemala | 47 | 39 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | 45 | 36 |
| Ali Daeli | Iran | 49 | 34 |
| Robert Lewandowski | Poland | 36 | 39 |
| Luis Suarez | Uruguay | 60 | 28 |
Author: William Paul
Featured photo: AFP / JOHN THYS
