Ronaldo's World Cup Journey: 27 Matches, 11 Goals, 6 Tournaments

Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career has come to an end after Portugal lost 1-0 to Spain in the round of 16 on Monday, in Arlington, Texas. Mikel Merino scored the only goal of the match in the 91st minute.

Before the match, Ronaldo mentioned that this would be his last World Cup. He wraps up his career with 27 appearances in six tournaments, scoring 11 goals and becoming the first player to find the net in six different World Cups.

Appearances
Ronaldo played in the World Cups of 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026. His 27 appearances rank as the second-highest in the tournament's history, only behind Argentina’s Lionel Messi, who has made 30 appearances. Messi could add to his total since Argentina is still in the competition.

Goals
Ronaldo scored 11 goals over his six World Cups, placing him in a tie for ninth on the all-time World Cup scoring list. His goals came in various matches: two against Uzbekistan in the group stage this year, a penalty against Croatia in the round of 32 this year, and a hat-trick against Spain in a thrilling 3-3 draw at the 2018 tournament. That match is considered one of the best of that edition, even though neither team advanced from that group.

Tournament-by-tournament
• 2006: At 21, Ronaldo helped Portugal reach the semi-finals, where they lost to France.
• 2010: Portugal faced elimination in the round of 16 by Spain.
• 2014: Portugal did not make it past the group stage.
• 2018: Ronaldo scored his hat-trick against Spain in the group stage. Portugal was eliminated in the round of 16 by Uruguay.
• 2022: Portugal reached the quarter-finals but lost to Morocco. Ronaldo, then 37, left the pitch in tears.
• 2026: Ronaldo scored three goals in both the group and knockout stages. Portugal was eliminated again in the round of 16 by Spain.

Records
Ronaldo became the first player to score in six different World Cups after netting against Uzbekistan this year. He is also Portugal’s all-time leading scorer in the tournament.
His international trophy count includes three titles with Portugal, including the 2016 European Championship, which he considers on par with a World Cup.
Despite his impressive career, he did not win a World Cup in any of his six appearances. The 2026 World Cup is still ongoing, with the quarter-final round yet to be completed.