All 11 World Cup goals na outstanding achievement. Among di thousands of men wey don play for FIFA World Cup since 1930, only eight get more goals dan am. Di list include Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Brazilian Ronaldo, Gerd Muller, Harry Kane, and Pelé. For Cristiano Ronaldo to retire from World Cup play with di ninth-best goal-scoring record of all time no be shameful matter, especially as e dey between di fifth and tenth best men’s player ever.
E distribute those 11 goals well to become di first person to score for six editions of di competition. But considering his other honors—over 800 club goals, nearly 150 international goals, five Ballon d’Ors, five Champions League titles, seven league titles, plus Euro 2016 and two Nations League titles—di World Cup end up as blind spot for his résumé, a missed opportunity to rank higher for dat theoretical all-time list.
After providing major attacking energy for Portugal team wey finish fourth at 2006 World Cup, Ronaldo’s relationship with di world’s most popular tournament become rather fraught. Even as Portugal win big for other competitions, dem win only one more knockout match—last week against Croatia for di brand-new round of 32—and di winning goal come with Ronaldo on di bench. His last match na meek attacking performance and 1-0 loss to Spain on Monday.
Why Portugal suffer so many disappointments? Di reasons differ from tournament to tournament. For some, Ronaldo no get nearly enough help. For others, e battle finishing problems. But after peaking with brilliant set of performances for 2018, e struggle for 2022 and 2026, as one go expect of someone wey dey approach and pass 40 years of age.
Let look back at Ronaldo’s six World Cups to see wetin go wrong at times and wetin occasionally go quite right. For 2006, a 21-year-old wey just finish first season with double-digit goals at Manchester United, Ronaldo start all six games despite suffering thigh injury after dirty tackle against Netherlands. E score on penalty against Iran and rank first for team for shot attempts (27), progressive carries (98), ground duel attempts (103), and fouls suffered (23). E also be second for ball recoveries (38) and third for chances created (nine). E contribute for many ways to wetin remain Portugal’s best World Cup performance for di past 60 years. His penalty against England send dem through to quarterfinals.
For 2010, Ronaldo get goal and assist among five chances created for dia blowout of North Korea, but Portugal otherwise scoreless and hit double digits for shot attempts only once (against Brazil). E no perform well, but e no get much help either.
At 29 and well into his prime—e score at least 50 goals for all competitions at Real Madrid every season from 2010-11 to 2015-16—and joined by 10 of di teammates wey go win Euro 2016 for am when e get injured, Ronaldo suffer genuinely disappointing performance for Brazil. Only beautiful Ronaldo assist to Silvestre Varela for di fifth minute of stoppage time salvage draw. But di first match wreck Portugal’s goal differential, and dem bow out for group stage despite winning dia last match.
For 2018, if Portugal don go on to do great things for Russia, Ronaldo’s game against Spain fit be remembered for completely different light. E paint only one masterpiece for World Cup, but e still be masterpiece. Against Spain team not far from dia run of three straight major tournament titles, Ronaldo score for all three of his shot attempts, giving Portugal two different leads and salvaging draw after two quick strikes from Spain. E follow dat up with early game winner against Morocco, too, and create number of solid chances against Iran. But late Iran goal cause Portugal to finish second for dia group and face excellent Uruguay squad instead of host Russia (wey go on to upset Spain). And for di same day wey Messi’s Argentina dem eliminate, so too Portugal, upstaged by brilliant performance from Edinson Cavani. At 33, Ronaldo get his best World Cup yet.
After dis late-career high, tings fall apart pretty quickly. Ronaldo move from Real Madrid to Juventus, but as his assist rates sink and pressing become nonexistent, e quickly turn too one-dimensional to help major club win big. E score plenty goals for Juve, but dem slip from dia Serie A perch, and when dem send am back to Manchester United, e quickly end up for standoff with manager Erik ten Hag, wey demand infinitely more work off di ball. By di time 2022 World Cup roll around, Ronaldo dey come off frustrating Euro 2020 performance—e score two non-penalty goals for four matches, and Portugal bow out quickly—and e seem di end near. For Qatar, e score penalty against Ghana, and dat be all. Portugal’s only great performance come against Switzerland, when Gonçalo Ramos start for him place and score hat trick for 6-1 win, and Ronaldo leave di field for tears after contributing just one shot attempt, from long range, for upset loss to Morocco. Coach Fernando Santos set di table for Portugal to move on from Ronaldo, but instead dem fire di manager and hire somebody wey go lean heavier than ever on di aging star.
Under Roberto Martinez, Ronaldo enjoy brief rebirth, scoring eight goals for nine matches as Portugal win dia second Nations League crown for 2024-25. E thrive for his first season with Al Nassr for Saudi Arabia, too. But e also be massive liability at Euro 2024, scoring zero goals while going di distance for four of five matches; for di last three, Portugal dem shut out, and e enter 2026 World Cup scoreless for his past nine matches for di two major tournaments. Dey still be role for Ronaldo to play for dis team, especially with di admiration e seem to draw from his teammates. But e clear who Portugal’s best option be for front. For di end, Martinez do Ronaldo disservice by playing pretend. When Ronaldo be nonfactor for costly draw against Congo DR for di opener, Martinez play am all 90 minutes and justify am by saying, “E make no sense to get di best goal scorer for world football out for a game wey you need goals.” When e again mostly be nonfactor against Spain on Monday, generating just 19 total touches and almost completely disappear down di stretch, Martinez basically repeat di same line: “When you be team and you need goal, you no fit take Cristiano Ronaldo off. E fit play 90 minutes, no problem. E be presence, e open space, a dead-ball situation, anytin for di box, e go make no sense.” Di problem na e absolutely no be presence, and for every game e play, e dey invisible after about di 75th minute. Looking only at wetin happen after di 75-minute mark for di World Cup, Ronaldo play 66 minutes and attempt only one shot with two progressive carries, one progressive pass, and one successful ground duel. Di only time Martinez substitute Ronaldo, dem reward am when Ramos score di game winner late against Croatia for di round of 32. But den Ronaldo play all 90 minutes again, with Ramos for di bench, against Spain. Even if Martinez insist on starting Ronaldo—a disservice to Ramos, but perhaps justified for leadership purposes—taking am off after 70 or 75 minutes go give Portugal better chance to beat either Congo DR or Colombia for di group stage; with one more win, dem go win dia group and play Ghana and Switzerland for di first two knockout rounds instead of Croatia and Spain. Di team fit advance further, therefore giving Ronaldo one last sustained run to be part of for tournament wey so many oda stars, including Messi, Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and Harry Kane, dey score big. Instead, Martinez pretend e still be 2014 or 2018 and play Ronaldo detrimental number of minutes. And his World Cup career end for disappointment.
