Cristiano Ronaldo's Sixth World Cup Journey
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to participate in his sixth World Cup representing Portugal.
The friendly match against Kazakhstan, held early in the season, could have easily been forgotten. Played in Chaves, northern Portugal, it featured a recently UEFA-affiliated Kazakhstan team, a modest crowd of 8,000, and a pitch so worn that the grass had to be painted for better appearance.
However, the 1-0 victory on 20 August 2003 remains memorable as it marked the beginning of Ronaldo's senior national team career.
At that time, few could have predicted the boy from Madeira would debut in the World Cup three years later, let alone appear in a record sixth World Cup in 2026 alongside Lionel Messi and Guillermo Ochoa.
Ronaldo, the all-time leading international scorer with 143 goals, has transformed Portuguese football's mentality and redefined national aspirations.
"We are a small country that rarely has global impact outside football," said Joao Aroso, who worked with Ronaldo at Sporting and the national team. "Cristiano allows our small country to be known worldwide for something great - because of all the positive things he stands for."
Throughout his five previous World Cups, Ronaldo maintained an untouchable status. This summer will be no different, despite increased scrutiny of his role since Qatar 2022.
Previously, questioning Ronaldo's place felt almost like betrayal, but that sentiment has shifted.
"He doesn't play to win, he plays to be the main figure," stated Antonio Simoes, a member of Portugal's 1966 World Cup squad. "Do you understand that it's the opposite of Eusebio? Let's call things by their name. I have nothing against him. I can still see, I can still hear and I can still think. But I can't run away from the reality of the facts."
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez has dismissed the debate as "lift talk." He consistently highlights Ronaldo's recent performance: 25 goals in his last 31 games for Portugal.
"We are talking about the greatest player of all time. He is here because he is still performing at a very high level, not because of what he achieved in the past," Martinez explained.
Ronaldo, who has scored in each of his five World Cups, will have another opportunity to respond to critics on the field.
The Al-Nassr forward has eight World Cup goals, one shy of Eusebio's Portuguese record, with the ultimate objective of helping Portugal win their first World Cup title.
Are Portugal a Better Team Without Ronaldo?
Ronaldo has confirmed this will be his final World Cup. Although no longer at his physical peak, Portugal's team will still revolve around him as they start their campaign against DR Congo on 17 June.
"Cristiano understands the big moments better than almost anyone in football," said former Portugal international Abel Xavier. "That experience can be decisive in a World Cup. His presence is very important. People focus on the physical side, but there is also the technical side and especially the mental side. The younger players look up to him and he always gives something to the team."
Former Portugal goalkeeper Ricardo, present at Ronaldo's international debut and now part of the coaching staff, shares this perspective.
"The speed may no longer be quite the same," Ricardo noted. "Instead of running at 200km/h, he is running at 195km/h now. It is still incredibly high. As long as the physical, technical and mental qualities are still there, he remains a devastating force. With him, danger is never far away."
Under Martinez, who took over in 2023 after leaving Belgium, Ronaldo has played in 31 of 39 matches, missing mostly due to injury or suspension.
Portugal's largest victory in the cycle, a 9-0 win over Luxembourg in Faro in September 2023, occurred without Ronaldo. Similarly, their second-largest win, 9-1 against Armenia in Porto in November, also featured no Ronaldo.
Following these matches, debates about the team's performance without their captain resurfaced.
"He doesn't have the football any more to be a starter for a side that wants to win the World Cup," said Sofia Oliveira, pundit for CNN Portugal, DAZN Portugal, and TSF radio. "But it is easy to arrive at this tournament and say Ronaldo should not be starting, which I agree with. The problem is that the national team has not been preparing for it."
'We Don't Dramatise the Post-Ronaldo Future'
Managing a football icon like Ronaldo has never been straightforward.
Fernando Santos, former Portugal manager, knows this well. After benching Ronaldo at the 2022 World Cup, he faced social media backlash from the player's family and soon left his position.
Asked earlier this year if he feared a similar outcome, Martinez downplayed the concern.
Ronaldo's influence is such that Pedro Proenca, president of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), addressed rumors about Ronaldo's involvement in choosing the next coach, denying any such influence.
With Ronaldo still in the squad, the FPF's February announcement of a partnership with AVA CR7, a physical recovery company owned by Ronaldo, raised questions.
The federation insists there is no conflict of interest.
"In the FPF's view, this partnership complies with all applicable compliance rules and does not constitute any conflict of interest in relation to Cristiano Ronaldo's status as captain and player of the national team," the FPF stated. "It should be clarified that Cristiano Ronaldo was never involved in the negotiations, nor was he a subject of those negotiations, with the entire process having been conducted exclusively with AVA's management team."
As Ronaldo nears the end of his career, discussions about the FPF's readiness for life after him have increased.
In May, the FPF approved its 2026-27 budget, projecting record revenue of €161 million, following 13 consecutive years of profit.
"The FPF is preparing for this moment without dramatising it. Cristiano will always be intrinsically linked not to the federation, but to Portugal as a country," said Proenca. "The FPF has always prepared for its present and its future. Of course, we know the importance Cristiano has. The two brands overlap - Cristiano Ronaldo and the FPF - I have to be honest and sincere about that. What I can guarantee is that the federation's operating revenues are secure for the continuity of a cycle that will happen naturally and normally, which is Cristiano's departure."
More than two decades after that night in Chaves, Ronaldo remains central to Portuguese football. One final World Cup awaits.
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