Cristiano Ronaldo Enters Sixth World Cup Without the Trophy

Cristiano Ronaldo once stated, "I do not chase numbers; numbers chase me," a phrase that encapsulates his extraordinary career spanning over 25 years, during which he shattered most individual records imaginable for a football player. As the captain of Portugal readies for the 2026 World Cup finals, the World Cup title remains the sole major accolade absent from his extensive list of achievements.

According to a report by The Athletic, Ronaldo, who turned 41 in February, is set to participate in his sixth World Cup tournament, a feat never before accomplished if he competes in the upcoming finals. Despite holding the world record for the most international appearances and international goals, along with an array of individual and team honors, the World Cup trophy has eluded one of the greatest players in the sport.

Throughout his lengthy career, Ronaldo has scored 143 international goals, the highest tally in national team history. He also holds the Champions League record with 140 goals. He has won the Ballon d’Or five times, more than any other European player, finished as runner-up six times, and secured 35 major titles over more than 1,300 official matches spanning 24 years.

Portugal, currently ranked fifth globally, is theoretically among the contenders in this edition. The team features a distinguished generation led by Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, João Neves, and Vitinha, names that have led many to describe Portugal’s midfield as one of the best worldwide. The team topped its European qualifying group for the World Cup, which included the Republic of Ireland, Hungary, and Armenia, concluding with a commanding 9-1 victory over Armenia.

However, history offers little optimism for the Portuguese side. Ronaldo’s best World Cup achievement was reaching the semifinals in the 2006 tournament in Germany at age 21. Portugal lost to France by a penalty goal executed by Zinedine Zidane, missing the chance to reach the final. Since then, Portugal has not come close to the final match.

Although Ronaldo led Portugal to victory in the 2016 European Championship in France, the nation’s first major title, the World Cup has remained beyond reach.

In the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Portugal scored in only one of their four matches. They drew 0-0 with Ivory Coast and Brazil, then defeated North Korea 7-0, before exiting in the round of 16 after a 1-0 loss to Spain. Ronaldo was named the best player in Portugal’s three group stage matches but could not guide the team further.

During the 2014 Brazil World Cup, Portugal suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Germany, followed by a 2-2 draw with the United States and a 2-1 victory over Ghana with a late goal from Ronaldo. Despite this, Portugal was eliminated in the group stage on goal difference.

At the 2018 Russia World Cup, Ronaldo delivered one of his greatest international performances by scoring a historic hat-trick against Spain in a 3-3 draw. He then scored the winning goal against Morocco and drew 1-1 with Iran. Yet, Portugal’s journey ended in the round of 16 with a 2-1 loss to Uruguay.

In the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Ronaldo entered the tournament at age 37. He scored a penalty against Ghana, becoming the first player to score in five different World Cup editions and the second oldest scorer after Cameroonian Roger Milla. Nevertheless, Portugal was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Morocco. Ronaldo was on the bench for the match and came on in the second half but was unable to change the outcome.

Following Portugal’s exit in Qatar, Ronaldo wrote an emotional message affirming that winning the World Cup was his greatest sporting dream, emphasizing that he had given his all for Portugal and spared no effort to achieve that goal.

Despite the World Cup’s importance in evaluating players, history includes many legends who never won the trophy. Alfredo Di Stéfano, originally Argentine but Spanish by nationality, never won it. Dutchman Johan Cruyff also missed out, as did Italians Paolo Maldini, Frenchman Michel Platini, Brazilians Zico and Sócrates, Hungarian Ferenc Puskás, and Soviet goalkeeper Lev Yashin.

Portugal holds a special place on this list due to its historic legend Eusébio, who delivered one of the greatest individual performances in World Cup history during the 1966 tournament. At 24 years old and holding the title of Europe’s best player, he led Portugal to a 3-1 victory over Brazil, scoring twice in a match that featured Europe’s best player against South America’s best player at the time, Pelé.

In the quarterfinals against North Korea, Eusébio overturned a three-goal deficit to secure a historic win by scoring four goals, but Portugal later lost 2-1 to England in the semifinals despite his goal. Years later, he famously said, "I was the best player in the world and the top scorer, and I did everything... the only thing I did not achieve was winning the World Cup."

Cruyff, the leader of the Dutch total football, led his country to the 1974 final but lost 2-1 to West Germany. He missed the 1978 World Cup despite the Netherlands qualifying due to threats against him and his family, ending his international career without a world title.

The list also includes George Best, the Northern Irish legend; George Weah, the only Liberian Ballon d’Or winner; Frenchman Raymond Kopa; and Just Fontaine, who holds the record for most goals in a single World Cup with 13 in 1958 but never won the tournament.

Spanish player Raúl experienced a similar fate despite 102 international appearances, as Spain’s historic 2010 triumph came after his international career ended. The same applies to Claude Makélélé, who lost the 2006 final with France to Italy on penalties.

Other notable names include German Michael Ballack, who missed the 2002 final due to suspension; Croatian Luka Modrić, who led his country to the 2018 final and 2022 semifinals without winning the title; and Mexican Rafael Márquez, who played in five consecutive World Cups without reaching the quarterfinals.

Italian Roberto Baggio is remembered for his famous missed penalty in the 1994 final against Brazil. Despite this moment overshadowing memories, he was instrumental in Italy’s path to the final by scoring crucial goals in knockout stages.

These examples demonstrate that the World Cup is not the sole measure of greatness. Numerous factors influence national teams’ fates, including the strength of opponents, injuries, suspensions, and historical and demographic circumstances. The harsh reality is that only eight national teams have ever won the World Cup, meaning most of the greatest players never had a genuine opportunity to lift the trophy.

Therefore, whether Ronaldo succeeds in leading Portugal to global glory in the summer of 2026 or not, his status among football’s greats has been established for many years. The World Cup could add a new chapter to his story, but it will not determine the legacy of a player who has already become one of the most influential and successful figures in football history.