Cristiano Ronaldo’s last World Cup: The records he can still break in 2026
The Portugal captain begins what is widely expected to be his final World Cup campaign against DR Congo, with several pieces of football history still within reach
Portugal’s opening World Cup match against DR Congo could mark the start of the final chapter in one of the greatest international careers football has ever seen. At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo arrives in North America with little left to prove, being international football’s all-time leading goalscorer, Portugal’s most-capped player and one of the most decorated footballers in history.
Yet despite everything he has achieved, the 2026 World Cup still offers him the opportunity to add several remarkable records to his collection, making Portugal one of the most fascinating teams to follow throughout the tournament..
Whether Portugal can provide him with the platform to chase these records remains to be seen. But as Ronaldo prepares to face DR Congo in what is likely to be his final World Cup campaign, football’s most relentless record-breaker still has plenty left to target.
A sixth World Cup appearance
The first record will be secured by featuring at the 2026 tournament, as Ronaldo will become the second men’s player to appear at six different World Cups after Lionel Messi became the first in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria.
Ronaldo’s World Cup journey began in Germany in 2006. Twenty years later, he remains part of Portugal’s squad and continues to compete at the highest level.
The first player to score in six World Cups
This is the record that could fall almost immediately, as Ronaldo has scored in the 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cups. No player in history has scored in six different editions of the tournament, meaning that one goal against DR Congo would see him become the outright record-holder.
Chasing a unique World Cup hat-trick record
Ronaldo’s hat-trick against Spain in 2018 remains one of the greatest individual performances in recent World Cup history. Only four players have scored two World Cup hat-tricks: Sandor Kocsis, Just Fontaine, Gerd Muller and Gabriel Batistuta and another treble would see Ronaldo join that exclusive group.
He is not the only active player with that possibility, as Messi, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé have also scored one World Cup hat-trick, but Ronaldo has the first opportunity to add another.
Can he catch Messi’s appearance record?
This is the most difficult record on the list, as Messi currently holds the men’s World Cup appearance record with 26 matches. Ronaldo begins the tournament on 22.
Portugal would likely need to reach the final, while Argentina would need to suffer an unexpectedly early elimination in the group stage, a scenario that remains unlikely according to the latest tournament winner projections. Even then, everything would depend on Ronaldo featuring in every match.
Oldest player to score in a World Cup knockout match
Portugal already hold this record through Pepe, who was 39 years and 283 days old when he scored against Switzerland at the 2022 World Cup, making him the oldest player ever to net a goal in a World Cup knockout match. If Ronaldo finds the net in any knockout fixture this summer, the record becomes his.
Oldest player to appear/score in a World Cup final
Perhaps the most remarkable record available. Italy goalkeeper Dino Zoff currently holds the record as the oldest player to appear in a World Cup final at 40 years and 133 days. If Portugal reach the final on July 19, Ronaldo would be 41 years, five months and 14 days old.
The oldest goalscorer in a World Cup final remains Sweden’s Nils Liedholm, who scored in the 1958 final aged 35 years and 264 days. Should Ronaldo score in the 2026 final, he would obliterate that record by almost six years.
Will Cristiano Ronaldo score against DR Congo?
Before Cristiano Ronaldo can even begin to dreaming of scoring in the World Cup final, Portugal first have to do the business against DR Congo in their opening group game on Wednesday. And after watching Messi score a hat-trick the night before, Ronaldo will be more motivated than ever to get his name on the scoresheet, with expert football predictions expecting Portugal to create plenty of chances against DR Congo.
For many, it will be a matter of how many rather than if he can score. Ronaldo is the favourite to be the first goalscorer against DR Congo (4/5) but the real value could be in backing him to match Messi and score a hat-trick at the very appealing odds of 20/1.
