Relentless Ronaldo breaks new ground

When Portugal were awarded a penalty in their FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ opener against Ghana, the stage was set for a legend to make history. No player had ever scored in five editions of the tournament before, but here stood Cristiano Ronaldo, poised to break new ground. The world was watching – and Ronaldo emphatically delivered. The skipper slammed his penalty beyond Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi to write another chapter in his astonishing career.

Ronaldo’s World Cup journey started at Germany 2006. Then aged 21, he had already established himself as one of coach Luiz Felipe Scolari’s key players – a status underlined when he stepped up to take a penalty in Portugal’s second group game against IR Iran. Ronaldo took a sharp intake of breath as he lined up the spot-kick – a sight that became iconic whenever he prepared to strike a dead ball – and nervelessly rifled his effort into the top corner to seal a 2-0 victory. He would also score the winning penalty in a shootout triumph over England in the quarter-finals.

Remarkably, given his incredible record for club and country, Ronaldo headed to South Africa 2010 having failed to score in a competitive international for more than two years. He ended that drought with a strike in Portugal’s 7-0 group-stage victory over Korea DPR, which remains the nation’s biggest-ever World Cup win.

Ronaldo arrived at Brazil 2014 on the back of an exceptional season for Real Madrid, where he netted 51 times in 47 appearances. While his World Cup would ultimately end in disappointment, with Portugal suffering a shock group-stage exit, he blasted a late winner against Ghana to continue his scoring run at the tournament.

Ronaldo’s best goalscoring campaign came at Russia 2018. He kicked off the tournament in scintillating style, bagging a hat-trick in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Spain. His early penalty in that barnstorming Sochi clash was followed by a 20-yard drive and a spectacular free-kick. He then went on to head the winner in a group-stage victory over Morocco. While Portugal were beaten in the last 16, Ronaldo left Russia having joined Uwe Seeler, Pele and Miroslav Klose in an elite list of players to have scored at four World Cups. And the Portuguese superstar was not done yet.

With his goal against Ghana at Qatar 2022, Ronaldo set a record which perhaps encapsulates his greatness more than any other. Sixteen years after his maiden World Cup strike, here he was still delivering on the biggest stage, becoming the only man to score in five editions of the tournament. It is an achievement which highlights his astonishing powers of endurance as much as his outrageous talent.

As Ronaldo once commented: "I don’t follow records, records follow me."