Striker Cristiano Ronaldo reached a historic milestone in the 2026 World Cup. By scoring a goal against Uzbekistan this Tuesday, the Portuguese star became the first athlete to find the net in six different editions of the world tournament. Furthermore, he tied with Eusébio, scoring nine goals and sharing the position of Portugal’s top scorer in World Cups.
In 2022, during the World Cup in Qatar, Cristiano Ronaldo had already achieved a similar feat, scoring in five editions of the championship – a feat that Marta and Canadian Christine Sinclair already achieved in women’s football. Recently, Lionel Messi equaled this mark. However, by marking his sixth World Cup, the Portuguese resumes his position as the isolated record holder among men. Although Messi has also participated in six World Cups, he did not record goals in the 2010 edition, held in South Africa. The longevity necessary to remain at the highest level for so many editions of such a demanding tournament is a testament to the athlete’s dedication and physical preparation.
Check out Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal history in the World Cups below:
- Germany 2006: 1 goal
- South Africa 2010: 1 goal
- Brazil 2014: 1 goal
- Russia 2018: 4 goals
- Qatar 2022: 1 goal
- USA/Mexico/Canada 2026: 1 goal* (so far)
Another notable feat of the player is his tie with Eusébio at the top of the list of Portugal’s top scorers in World Cups. The iconic athlete, nicknamed the ‘Black Panther’, shone in the 1966 World Cup, held in England, where he scored an impressive nine goals. With the Portuguese team having at least two more matches in this edition, Cristiano Ronaldo has a real opportunity to surpass that mark. In the overall history of the Portuguese team, the number 7 already had the isolated lead in goals, now totaling 144.
Portugal is part of Group K in the current edition of the 2026 World Cup. The team shares the bracket with teams from Colombia, Uzbekistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Despite no longer having the same physical peak as he once did, Cristiano Ronaldo maintains his fundamental importance as one of the pillars of the Portugal national team. In recent competitions, such as the European Cup qualifiers and the victorious campaign in the last Nations League, he was present in 15 of the team’s 16 clashes, playing as a starter on 14 occasions and contributing with 13 goals.
The Portuguese star has already accumulated important titles with the national team’s shirt, including two editions of the Nations League and a European Championship. However, his career in the World Cups still awaits a more successful outcome. Their best campaign to date came in 2006, in their first participation, when Portugal reached the semi-finals of the tournament.