Ronaldo Becomes First To Score In Six World Cups

Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score in six different editions of the FIFA World Cup after netting twice in Portugal’s 5-0 win over Uzbekistan in Group K of the 2026 tournament. The Portugal captain reached the landmark in Houston on Tuesday and added another record to a World Cup career that now stretches across two decades.

Ronaldo entered the match level with Lionel Messi on goals scored across five different World Cup editions. His two goals against Uzbekistan moved him ahead in that category and made him the only player to score in six editions of the tournament.

The forward also took his overall World Cup tally to 10 goals, moving past Eusebio’s nine and becoming Portugal’s highest scorer in the history of the competition.

Ronaldo Sets New World Cup Scoring Landmark

The double against Uzbekistan gave Ronaldo a new place in World Cup history. He has now scored in the 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026 editions of the tournament.

His first World Cup goal came in Germany in 2006, when he scored against Iran. He followed that with one goal in South Africa in 2010 against Korea DPR and another in Brazil in 2014 against Ghana.

The 2018 tournament in Russia remains his most productive World Cup campaign. Ronaldo scored four times in that edition, including a hat-trick against Spain and another goal against Morocco. He added one more goal in Qatar in 2022, again against Ghana, before scoring twice against Uzbekistan in 2026.

That sequence means Ronaldo has now reached 10 World Cup goals overall. The breakdown of his tally stands at one in 2006, one in 2010, one in 2014, four in 2018, one in 2022 and two in 2026.

Portugal Captain Moves Past Eusebio

Ronaldo’s two goals also changed Portugal’s all-time World Cup scoring chart. Before the Uzbekistan match, Eusebio held the national record with nine World Cup goals. Ronaldo’s brace lifted him to 10 and placed him at the top of Portugal’s scoring list in the tournament.

Eusebio had long been one of the most significant names in Portugal’s World Cup history, particularly for his performances in 1966. Ronaldo has now moved ahead of him in terms of goals scored at the finals.

The record is another addition to Ronaldo’s long list of achievements with Portugal, where he has already established himself as the country’s leading international scorer and most-capped player.

Second-Oldest Scorer In World Cup History

Ronaldo also climbed another all-time list with his goals in Houston. At 41 years and 138 days old, he became the second-oldest player to score in a World Cup match.

Only Roger Milla remains ahead of him. The Cameroon forward scored at the 1994 World Cup at the age of 42 years and 39 days, which remains the oldest scoring record in the tournament.

Ronaldo’s latest World Cup goal therefore carries significance beyond the six-edition milestone. It also places him among the oldest scorers in the history of the competition.

Ronaldo’s World Cup Record By Tournament

Ronaldo’s World Cup scoring record now spans six editions and several opponents. He has scored three goals against Spain, two against Ghana and two against Uzbekistan. His other World Cup goals have come against Iran, Korea DPR and Morocco.

His World Cup numbers by tournament are as follows:

At Germany 2006, Ronaldo was 21 and scored once in six appearances, with his goal coming against Iran in the group stage.

At South Africa 2010, he scored once in four matches, finding the net in Portugal’s 7-0 win over Korea DPR.

At Brazil 2014, Ronaldo again scored once, this time in Portugal’s 2-1 win over Ghana during the group phase.

At Russia 2018, he scored four times in four matches. Three of those goals came in the 3-3 draw with Spain, while the fourth came in a 1-0 win over Morocco.