Cristiano Ronaldo's last goal in a major tournament (Euro or World Cup finals) came from a penalty kick during Portugal's 3-2 victory over Ghana in the 2022 World Cup group stage. In the subsequent two matches, a 2-0 win against Uruguay and a 1-2 loss to South Korea, he started both but was substituted in the 82nd and 65th minutes, respectively.

Following a negative reaction to his substitution against South Korea, Ronaldo began Portugal's 6-1 win over Switzerland in the round of 16 on the bench. Goncalo Ramos, who started in his place, scored a hat-trick. Ronaldo entered the game in the 73rd minute with the score already 5-1, but Rafael Leao netted the final goal.

Former coach Fernando Santos again benched Ronaldo for the quarter-final match. Ronaldo came on in the 65th minute, with Morocco already leading 1-0. The score remained unchanged, and Portugal was eliminated from the tournament.

Ronaldo leaves the field after the 2022 World Cup quarter-final, Morocco 1-0 Portugal, at Al Thumama Stadium, Qatar on 10/12/2022. Photo: AFP

The Portuguese Football Federation (PFF) dismissed Santos immediately after the 2022 World Cup. Upon taking over, coach Roberto Martinez declared a philosophy of "Ronaldo and 10 players," but this approach has yet to yield a change in Ronaldo's scoring form.

At Euro 2024, Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes in Portugal's first two group stage matches: a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic and a 3-0 win against Turkey. He provided an assist in the Turkey match for Bruno Fernandes when both players faced the opposing goalkeeper. In the final group stage match, a 0-2 loss to Georgia, Ronaldo played until the 66th minute, as Portugal had already secured the top spot in the group.

The team captain continued to start in the round of 16 against Slovenia but missed a penalty in the 105th minute. After a goalless draw over 120 minutes, he successfully converted a spot-kick in the penalty shootout, contributing to Portugal's 3-0 victory.

In the quarter-finals, Portugal again drew 0-0 with France. Ronaldo successfully converted another penalty in the shootout, but his team ultimately lost 3-5.

Ronaldo remained goalless in Portugal's 2026 World Cup opener, a 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) on the evening of 17/6. Despite receiving two low crosses from teammates in the second half, the forward tapped both balls wide. His current goalless streak now spans 802 minutes across 10 matches.

After the draw with DR Congo, Ronaldo was among the first players to leave the field. Most other Portuguese players stayed longer to acknowledge the fans before heading to the dressing room.

Responding to the media in the mixed zone about the 1-1 draw, Ronaldo stated, "We did everything. That's football. Portugal could have won, but also could have lost."

He later posted on social media to reassure fans: "This is not the start we wanted, but it's far from over. Keep our heads up and focus on the next game."

Ronaldo (red jersey) challenges for the ball in the 2026 World Cup opener, Portugal 1-1 DR Congo, at NRG Stadium in Houston, US on the evening of 17/6. Photo: AP

Portugal took the lead through a header from Joao Neves in the sixth minute but failed to maintain their advantage. Yoane Wissa equalized for DR Congo with a header in first-half stoppage time.

Ronaldo holds the record for most career goals with 973, 59 more than Lionel Messi. However, in World Cups, Messi shares the record of 16 goals with former German international Miroslav Klose, while Ronaldo has only eight goals. Messi's 2022 World Cup victory has added pressure on Ronaldo, with fans hoping the captain can deliver a similar triumph for Portugal.

From a qualification perspective, a draw in the opening match is not a poor result. Portugal still has two matches remaining, against Uzbekistan and Colombia, to secure the top spot in Group K. Argentina famously lost their opening match 1-2 to Saudi Arabia at the World Cup four years ago but ultimately topped their group and won the tournament.

Portugal can also advance without topping Group K. The 2026 World Cup features 48 teams divided into 12 groups. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-place teams, will progress to the round of 32, where the knockout stages begin.

Thanh Quy (via Ojogo)