If in football there is a synonym for record, that may well be Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese star who has marked his presence in the World Cup for two decades, a period in which he has scored eight goals which makes him the only player in history to score in five different editions of the tournament.
The Madeira attacker’s love affair with the World Cup networks began in Germany 2006. At just 21 years old and wearing number 17, a young Cristiano took the responsibility of taking a penalty against Iran to score his first goal in a World Cup.
Four years later, in South Africa 2010, now as captain and figure of Real Madrid, added his second goal. He did it in Cape Town, scoring the sixth goal in the 7-0 win about North Korea.
His third goal came at Brazil 2014. Although Portugal was eliminated in the group stage, Ronaldo left his mark at the National Stadium in Brasilia, where he took advantage of a rebound in the area to score against Ghana.
The highest point
The best moment of the Portuguese star in the World Cups were held in Russia 2018, the most productive edition of his career. In his debut in Sochi, he scored a memorable hat trick against Spaincrowned with a free kick that sealed the 3-3 tie.
In that same tournament, he added his seventh goal with an accurate header at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, enough to give Portugal the victory against Morocco.
His last World Cup goal came in Qatar 2022, again against Ghana. From the penalty spot, at Stadium 974, Ronaldo broke the zero and extended a mark which summarizes its validity.
Throughout 20 years in the elite, the Portuguese forward’s consistency has become an example of discipline and longevity. While other figures have faded with the passage of time, Cristiano has kept his scoring ability intact.
Cristiano Ronaldo 🇵🇹 is the only player in history with a goal in 5 different and consecutive World Cups.
The guy is a crack.
— Jerry Díaz 🇨🇺 (@Jerryto94) June 3, 2026
With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, the Saudi soccer player has the opportunity to expand his record and extend it to six World Cups. An achievement that defies the logic of time and reaffirms his place among the great legends of football.