Cristiano Ronaldo, aged 41, played his sixth World Cup in 2026 and became the first player to score in six different World Cups. Portugal lost 1-0 to Spain in the round of 16 on July 6 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, with substitute Mikel Merino scoring in the 91st minute.
Key Facts
- Ronaldo is the first player to score at six World Cups.
- He scored twice in a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan, taking him to 10 World Cup goals and past Eusebio’s Portugal record of nine.
- He scored a penalty in the 2-1 round of 32 win over Croatia, his first World Cup knockout goal.
- He has 146 international goals and 234 caps, a record.
- Portugal coach Roberto Martinez stepped down after the Spain defeat.
Portugal’s 2026 World Cup
| Stage | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Group K | DR Congo | 1-1 |
| Group K | Uzbekistan | 5-0 |
| Group K | Colombia | 0-0 |
| Round of 32 | Croatia | 2-1 |
| Round of 16 | Spain | 0-1 |
Portugal finished second in Group K with five points. Ronaldo scored in the 6th and 39th minutes against Uzbekistan in Houston on June 23, with assists from Joao Cancelo and Bruno Fernandes.
In the round of 32 in Toronto on July 2, Ivan Perisic put Croatia ahead in the 53rd minute. Ronaldo equalised from a 68th-minute penalty, and Goncalo Ramos headed the winner in the 94th minute from a Rafael Leao cross.
The Spain Match
Martinez kept Ronaldo on for all 90 minutes against Spain. “When a team needs a goal, you can’t take Cristiano Ronaldo off,” he said afterwards. Portugal could not find the goal, and Merino scored late. Martinez confirmed it was his last match, calling it the end of a cycle and saying “We didn’t fail.” He had taken charge in 2023, and Portugal had also lost in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.
How Each of His World Cups Ended
| Year | Portugal’s result |
|---|---|
| 2006 | Fourth place: lost the semi-final 1-0 to France and the third-place match 3-1 to Germany |
| 2010 | Round of 16: lost 1-0 to Spain |
| 2014 | Group stage: lost 4-0 to Germany, drew 2-2 with the USA, beat Ghana 2-1 |
| 2018 | Round of 16: lost 2-1 to Uruguay |
| 2022 | Quarter-final: lost 1-0 to Morocco |
| 2026 | Round of 16: lost 1-0 to Spain |
What Comes Next
After the tournament, Ronaldo considered retiring from international football but was persuaded to continue by Portuguese federation president Pedro Proenca. In August 2026 he said, “This is probably my last year in football,” according to AP via WTOP. Read how his move to Al Nassr changed the game in our guide to the Saudi Pro League.
The team that knocked Portugal out went on to win the tournament. See Unai Simon’s Golden Glove, Lamine Yamal’s World Cup and our 2030 outlook.
Sources: Wikipedia: Cristiano Ronaldo, Wikipedia: Portugal at the FIFA World Cup, TSN on Martinez, Fox Sports on Portugal v Uzbekistan, NBC on Portugal v Croatia.