Cristiano Ronaldo Sets Record by Scoring in Six World Cups

Cristiano Ronaldo achieved a remarkable milestone on Tuesday by becoming the first player to score in six different World Cup tournaments. The 41-year-old Portuguese forward netted two goals in the match against Uzbekistan.

Ronaldo’s historic moment came in the sixth minute when João Cancelo delivered a cross that Ronaldo converted with his right foot, opening the scoreline to 1-0. He celebrated the goal with his teammates on the bench.

Later in the 39th minute, Ronaldo found the net again after receiving a pass from Bruno Fernandes. He scored with his right foot, placing the ball inside the near post, making the score 3-0.

These goals rank him as the second-oldest player to score at a World Cup, following Cameroon forward Roger Milla, who was 42 when he scored in the 1994 tournament held in the United States.

Ronaldo faced criticism for not scoring in Portugal’s opening match, a 1-1 draw against Congo. This year, both Ronaldo and Lionel Messi marked history by participating in six World Cup tournaments.

Ronaldo’s scoring journey began in 2006 and continued in subsequent editions: 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022. While Messi shares the record for most tournaments, Ronaldo stands alone in scoring in each edition, as Messi did not score in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Ronaldo’s goals on Tuesday brought his World Cup tally to 10. In comparison, Messi has 18, having scored a hat trick against Algeria and adding two more goals against Austria, making him the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.

Tuesday’s game marked Ronaldo’s 230th international appearance, setting the record for most international matches played.

This tournament is expected to be Ronaldo’s final World Cup, following a distinguished career that includes winning the European Championship with Portugal in 2016 and five Champions League titles with Manchester United and Real Madrid.