Ronaldo Poised for Historic Sixth World Cup Appearance
Portugal’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup on Sunday has set the stage for Cristiano Ronaldo to make history as the first player to appear in six editions of football’s most prestigious tournament.
The Portuguese talisman was absent from his nation’s qualifying campaign closer against Ireland, serving a self-imposed suspension that left uncertainty about potential further absences. However, Roberto Martinez’s side completed their mission with victories over Armenia and Ireland, securing their place at next year’s tournament without requiring their captain’s presence on the pitch.
Portugal’s World Cup berth clears the path for the 39-year-old Al-Nassr forward to break new ground in the sport’s record books, provided he maintains his fitness through to the tournament hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Currently, Ronaldo shares the record for most World Cup appearances at five tournaments with a select group of players: Mexico’s Antonio Carbajal, Rafa Marquez and Andres Guardado, Germany’s Lothar Matthaus, and Argentina’s Lionel Messi. No player in the competition’s 95-year history has ever participated in six World Cups.
The Madeira-born striker will not stand alone in this achievement, however. Messi, his long-time rival and fellow record holder, is equally positioned to reach the six-tournament milestone. Argentina secured qualification as CONMEBOL’s top team, and the Inter Miami playmaker is certain to feature in Lionel Scaloni’s squad for the 2026 edition.
For Ronaldo, the upcoming tournament represents more than personal glory. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner remains driven by one elusive prize: delivering Portugal’s first World Cup title. Despite his nation’s triumph at Euro 2016 and the 2019 Nations League, football’s ultimate prize has remained beyond reach throughout his illustrious career.
The 2026 World Cup will mark two decades since Ronaldo’s debut at the tournament in Germany 2006, where a young Portuguese side reached the semi-finals. Since then, he has appeared at every edition, scoring at each tournament from 2006 through 2022, though Portugal have failed to advance beyond the quarter-finals in that span.
Martinez’s squad demonstrated their quality in qualifying, navigating the campaign successfully despite their captain’s absence in the final matches. That depth will prove crucial as Portugal seeks to mount a serious challenge for the trophy in North America.
With qualification secured, attention now turns to whether Ronaldo can maintain the physical condition required to compete at the highest level aged 41. The forward has shown few signs of decline, continuing to score prolifically for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia’s top flight.
Should both Ronaldo and Messi take the field in 2026, it will mark a fitting conclusion to an era that has seen the two forwards dominate global football for nearly two decades, their rivalry defining a generation of the sport.