BY: DANIEL IRIARTE

The Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo continues to write golden pages in the history of world football. With his brace in the 2026 World Cup, the forward not only reaffirmed his relevance at 41 years old but also reached a new milestone: he became the top Portuguese scorer in the history of the FIFA World Cup with 10 goals, surpassing Eusébio's 9.

The achievement comes with another unprecedented mark. Cristiano is the only footballer in history to score in six different World Cups, from Germany 2006 to the 2026 edition. A feat that reflects not only his goal-scoring ability but also extraordinary longevity and discipline at the elite level of football.

His World Cup journey began in 2006 with a goal against Iran, becoming one of the youngest Portuguese to score in the tournament. In South Africa 2010, he added another goal in the historic 7-0 thrashing of North Korea. Brazil 2014 was modest collectively, but he managed to score against Ghana. Russia 2018 represented his best version, with four goals, including a memorable hat-trick against Spain in a thrilling 3-3 draw. In Qatar 2022, he made history by becoming the first player to score in five World Cups, with a penalty against Ghana. Today, in 2026, he not only extends that record but also claims the throne as Portugal's top scorer in World Cups.

Cristiano Ronaldo not only defies the passage of time: he dominates it. And with every goal, he reaffirms his place as one of the greatest of all time.