See Cristiano Ronaldo in Every World Cup He's Played In

Few soccer players have left a mark on the game quite like Cristiano Ronaldo.

From his rise as a teenage sensation to becoming a heavily decorated soccer star, the Portuguese player has spent more than two decades winning trophies and cementing his place among the sport’s greatest legends.

Ronaldo represented Portugal at the Summer Olympics in Athens in 2004 and also holds the record for scoring the most goals in international football in the men’s game.

The global soccer icon competed in five FIFA World Cups prior to 2026, though he hasn’t won the tournament with his Portuguese team. Now, he’s returned for his sixth and final FIFA World Cup, and has already broken a new record: becoming the first player to score in six editions.

As the 2026 World Cup unfolds, here’s a look back at every World Cup Cristiano Ronaldo has played in.

01 of 06

2006

Ronaldo first played in the World Cup in 2006 when it was held in Germany. That year, he helped Portugal reach the semi-finals for the first time since 1966.

While facing Iran in the group stage, Ronaldo made his first and only goal when he made a penalty kick, with only 10 minutes left in the game, per ESPN. Portugal ultimately finished in fourth place that year.

02 of 06

2010

Ronaldo returned to the World Cup in 2010, when it was held in South Africa. When his team went up against North Korea, Ronaldo scored an astonishing goal, managing to recover the ball after it bounced off his neck and head.

Portugal was eventually eliminated from the competition when they lost against Spain, who went on to win the entire tournament that year.

03 of 06

2014

In 2014, Ronaldo traveled to Brazil for the World Cup. Though he was dealing with a tendinosis issue in his left knee, the soccer player still scored the winning goal for his team when Portugal took on Ghana in the final group-stage match.

Ronaldo’s injury greatly affected his mobility that year, and although the athlete said he did not want to “use my physical problems as an excuse,” per ESPN, Portugal ultimately left the competition early once they couldn’t make it past the group stage of the tournament.

They finished third in their respective group and were eliminated on goal difference.

04 of 06

2018

Four years after their defeat at the 2014 World Cup, Ronaldo and his team came back stronger than ever in 2018 when the tournament was held in Russia.

That year, the soccer star scored four goals and advanced to round of 16 in the tournament. Portugal was later eliminated following a defeat to Uruguay.

05 of 06

2022

In 2022, Ronaldo competed with his teammates again in the World Cup, which was held in Qatar that year. This time, he scored a penalty in Portugal’s opening match against Ghana and became the first male player to score in five different World Cups.

As for Portugal, they also progressed far in the competition and made it all the way to the quarterfinals where they lost to Morocco. The defeat caused Ronaldo to leave the field in tears, per ESPN.

06 of 06

2026

The 2026 World Cup — which kicked off on June 11 and runs through mid-July 2026 — is Ronaldo’s final time returning to the global tournament.

“I will be 41 years old and I think will be the moment in the big competition,” he told CNN in November 2025 about why it will “definitely” be his last World Cup. As for retirement plans, he aid he is “enjoying the moment” for now.

The event has already proved to be a memorable one for Ronaldo, who reached a historic milestone in late June when he became the first player in history to score a goal in six different editions of the World Cup.

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