Carlos Ruiz is a former Guatemalan professional footballer who represented the Guatemalan national football team as a striker. Widely considered to be the greatest Guatemalan player of all time, he would go on to earn 133 caps and score 68 goals, becoming both his country’s most capped player and top goalscorer of all time

Ruiz made his international debut in a friendly against Mexico on the 18 November 1998; with his first goal coming less than a year later against El Salvador at the 1999 UNCAF Nations Cup. He became Guatemala’s all time top goalscorer on the 14th June 2008 with four goals against Saint Lucia, bringing his overall total to 39 goals, breaking the previous record of 35 goals held by Juan Carlos Plata.

In his final international appearance on the 6th September 2016, Ruiz scored 5 goals against Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification. This brought his total record in World Cup qualification to 39 goals in 47 goals, surpassing Ali Daei's record of 35 goals and thus becoming the top goalscorer in history of qualification. This record remained until the 14th October 2025 when it was surpassed by Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored two goals against Hungary to set the new record of 41 goals.

International goals Scores and results list Guatemala's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ruiz goal. + List of international goals scored by Carlos RuizNo.CapDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition17Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica1–11–11999 UNCAF Nations Cup217Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala2–08–12002 FIFA World Cup qualification318Montreal, Canada–4–1Friendly420Carlos Salazar Hijo Stadium, Mazatenango, Guatemala1–11–12002 FIFA World Cup qualification521Mario Camposeco Stadium, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala1–02–02002 FIFA World Cup qualification623Barbados National Stadium, Saint Michael, Barbados2–03–12002 FIFA World Cup qualification724Carlos Salazar Hijo Stadium, Mazatenango, Guatemala1–02–12002 FIFA World Cup qualification82–1925Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, United States1–02–52002 FIFA World Cup qualification102–51126Pedro Marrero Stadium, Havana, Cuba1–01–0Friendly1231Cementos Progreso Stadium, Guatemala City, Guatemala1–01–1Friendly1336Rommel Fernández Stadium, Panama City, Panama1–05–02003 UNCAF Nations Cup142–0153–01640Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, United States1–01–12003 CONCACAF Gold Cup1741Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala1–01–0Friendly1842Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala1–03–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification193–12044Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada1–02–02006 FIFA World Cup qualification212–02246Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras1–02–22006 FIFA World Cup qualification2347Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala1–01–02006 FIFA World Cup qualification2449RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C., United States1–01–0Friendly2551Brígido Iriarte Stadium, Caracas, Venezuela1–01–0Friendly2652Los Angeles Coliseum, Los Angeles, United States1–01–1Friendly2755Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala2–05–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification283–12958Home Depot Center, Carson, United States1–23–42005 CONCACAF Gold Cup302–3313–43263Estadio Alfonso Lastras, San Luis Potosí, Mexico1–02–52006 FIFA World Cup qualification3364Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala3–03–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification3468Herndon Stadium, Atlanta, United States1–21–2Friendly3572Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States1–01–12007 CONCACAF Gold Cup3677Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala2–06–02010 FIFA World Cup qualification373–0384–0396–04081Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala1–14–12010 FIFA World Cup qualification412–14287Carlos Salazar Hijo Stadium, Mazatenango, Guatemala1–01–1Friendly4390Red Bull Arena, Harrison, United States3–04–02011 CONCACAF Gold Cup4491New Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherford, United States1–01–22011 CONCACAF Gold Cup4592Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala3–13–12014 FIFA World Cup qualification4693Estadio Feliciano Cáceres, Luque, Paraguay1–21–2Friendly4795Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica1–02–3Friendly482–24996Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala1–01–0Friendly50100RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C., United States3–33–3Friendly51101Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala1–13–12014 FIFA World Cup qualification522–153102Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda1–01–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification54103Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala2–12–12014 FIFA World Cup qualification55104Livestrong Sporting Park, Kansas City, United States1–01–32014 FIFA World Cup qualification56107Cotton Bowl, Dallas, United States1–02–12014 Copa Centroamericana57109Los Angeles Coliseum, Los Angeles, United States1–01–22014 Copa Centroamericana58118Soldier Field, Chicago, United States1–31–32015 CONCACAF Gold Cup59122Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala2–02–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification60127Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala2–02–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification61129StubHub Center, Carson, United States1–01–7Friendly62132Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago1–02–22018 FIFA World Cup qualification632–264133Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala2–19–32018 FIFA World Cup qualification653–1664–2676–2687–2

Hat-tricks Scores and results list Guatemala's goal tally first. Date Venue Opponent Goals Result Competition 1Rommel Fernández Stadium, Panama City, Panama3 – (34', 45', 67')5–02003 UNCAF Nations Cup2Home Depot Center, Carson, United States3 – (11' pen, 45+3', 87')3–42005 CONCACAF Gold Cup3Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala4 – (36', 40', 58', 93')6–02010 FIFA World Cup qualification4Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala5 – (20', 28', 37', 58', 60')9–32018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Statistics

+ Appearances and goals by yearYearAppsGoals1998101999131200010720011220026220039420041192005138200641200771200886201194201212102014622015162201679Total13368

+ Goals by competition Competition GoalsFIFA World Cup qualification39Copa Centroamericana/UNCAF Nations Cup6CONCACAF Gold Cup8Friendlies15Total68

+Goals by opponentOpponentGoals96555433332222222221111Total68

References

External links