The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be a monumental one for Portuguese football and the beautiful game as a whole, as it will mark a record-breaking sixth and final appearance for Cristiano Ronaldo. The current Al Nassr man will head to North America at the ripe old age of 41, and he will look to bow out from the grandest stage on top by leading Seleção to the famous gold trophy for the first time ever. Should he somehow be able to do that, then he will follow in the footsteps of eternal rival Lionel Messi, who claimed the title for the first time throughout his storied career in Qatar four years ago.
Can Ronaldo Lead Portugal to Glory?
For many, that triumph cemented the Argentine as the greatest player that has ever lived, especially with him being named player of the tournament at the age of 36 in the process. However, the fact remains that the Qatari fairytale was Argentina’s third World Cup crown. Would a maiden triumph for Portugal with a 41-year-old Ronaldo catapult CR7 back into all-time great conversations? We won’t know unless it happens, and online betting sites think there is a slight chance.
The bookies currently list Ronaldo and Co. as a 12/1 sixth-favourite to claim the title this summer, with Argentina directly above them in the betting charts at 8/1. However, a popular betting tool shows just how far both of these teams are behind 9/2 favourites Spain. The popular parlay calculator at Thunderpick shows that a €10 bet on Portugal would pay €120 in winnings, with the same bet paying €80 on Argentina and just €45 on Spain.
But that is this summer. What about each of the five World Cups Ronaldo has played in up until this point? There is no doubt that Portugal’s all-time leading goalscorer has enjoyed plenty of stellar moments on the global stage. But which are the best of them? Let’s take a look.
Hat Trick vs Spain
There is only one place to start. Heading into the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Ronaldo was still at the peak of his powers. He had just led Real Madrid to a famous three-peat of Champions League titles, culminating with their 3-1 victory against Liverpool in the Kyiv final. CR7 delivered another spectacular year in terms of goalscoring, netting 44 times in as many games in all competitions, headlined by 15 in just 13 Champions League games.
He led Portugal to the World Cup, and immediately, he would face a difficult task as the Seleção faced off against neighbours Spain in their opener in Sochi. Despite facing Los Blancos teammates Sergio Ramos, Isco, and Nacho Fernandez, it was Ronaldo who managed to steal the show. He netted an early penalty after being tripped over by Nacho to give his side the lead, before adding a second on the stroke of halftime with a snap shot that squirmed underneath David de Gea.
Spain, as ever, would fight back. They went into the break 2-1 down with Diego Costa scoring in between Ronaldo’s brace, and the Brazilian-born striker would add another ten minutes after half-time to level things up. Nacho would then give La Roja the lead with a stunning strike, and it looked as though it would be they who claimed three massive points.
With just two minutes remaining, though, Portugal would be awarded a late free kick. Ronaldo stepped up, whipped the ball over the wall, and scored one of the finest goals of his career to cap off a stunning hat trick and secure a crucial point in a 3-3 draw.
Beating England
Ronaldo’s first taste of the World Cup came when he was just 23 years of age back in 2006. He joined up with the likes of Luis Figo, Deco, and Ricardo Carvalho to lead the Seleção on one of their finest ever runs. They firstly topped Group D with a perfect three wins from three before then knocking off the Netherlands in an ill-fated round of 16 tie dubbed the Battle of Nuremberg.
In the quarterfinals, Portugal met England in a repeat of their Euro 2004 quarterfinal from two years prior. The game would be similarly bad-tempered, and Ronaldo played a crucial role in the sending off of his Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney. Despite the man advantage, Luis Felipe Scolari’s men couldn’t find a way through, and they would be forced to settle for a penalty shootout. There, goalkeeper Ricardo became the hero, saving from Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, and Jamie Carragher, allowing Ronaldo to sweep home his spot kick and confirm Portugal’s first semifinal appearance since 1966.
History Maker
Ronaldo was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons by the time the most recent World Cup in Qatar rolled around. His explosive interview with Piers Morgan on the eve of the tournament led to his release from Manchester United, ending his second stint with the club in disastrous fashion. However, by the time the tournament got underway, CR7 knew that history beckoned.
If he could score a goal at the tournament, he would become the first man in history to score goals at five separate World Cups after netting in 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018. And in Portugal’s first game against Ghana, Ronaldo would have his chance. After being felled inside the area, the Seleção were awarded a penalty, and Ronaldo duly dusted himself off and slotted home to become a history maker. Now, he will be looking to extend that record to goals in six separate World Cups, something that his nemesis Messi will never achieve.
