Striker Cristiano Ronaldo, currently 41 years old, is confirmed for the 2026 World Cup. When he takes the field in this edition, Portugal’s number 7 will reach his sixth appearance in the World Cup. The feat will see the player equal the tournament’s all-time record, joining Argentine Lionel Messi and Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who also reach their sixth World Cup this year.
The confirmation came through coach Roberto Martínez’s squad list. Cristiano Ronaldo was present in the 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 editions. The athlete has already publicly signaled that the tournament hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada will mark his farewell to the FIFA competition. Portugal is part of Group K of the tournament and will make its debut against the Democratic Republic of Congo, before facing Uzbekistan and Colombia.
Striker seeks goal in six editions and counts down to the thousandth
Statistical projections place the Portuguese captain at unprecedented levels in world football. Cristiano Ronaldo has 226 official matches and 143 goals scored with his national team’s shirt. If he manages to find the net on North American soil, the striker will isolate himself as the only player in history to score goals in six different editions of the World Cup.
In addition to the tournament record, the competition gains importance in the athlete’s personal goal of reaching the thousandth goal in his professional career. The striker has 973 official goals scored and will try to use the tournament matches in the United States to shorten the distance to the historic mark of 1,000 goals.