Cristiano Ronaldo, first footballer to score in five World Cups

The Portuguese continues to break records: he scored in Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018 and, this Thursday, in Qatar 2022

MADRID, 24 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo has become this Thursday the first footballer to score at least one goal in five different editions of the World Cup, after opening the can in the victory (3-2) against Ghana, a duel that began the Portugal's participation in the World Cup in Qatar.

The Portuguese star, now a free agent after parting ways with Manchester United, reached this mark in the 65th minute of Portugal's World Cup debut in Qatar against the African team. Cristiano Ronaldo coldly and accurately converted a penalty committed by Mohammed Salisu on himself to go down in the history of the tournament.

His idyll with the World Cup began in 2006, in Germany, when he enjoyed his first call-up for this type of tournament. He then scored a goal against Iran and played six games, all six as starters, in the edition in which Portugal reached the semifinals. Same scoring figure as in his participation in South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014.

His highest score in a World Cup came just over four years ago, in Russia 2018, when he scored four goals in a tournament in which the Portuguese lost in the round of 16. With the goal against Ghana, Ronaldo already has eight goals in his five World Cups, far from the 16 made by the German Miroslav Klose -who achieved them in four tournaments-, and is only one behind the other local hero Eusébio, who celebrated nine in his only participation.

With this new feat, at 37 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo leaves behind other legends who were able to score in four different tournaments. This is the case of the Brazilian Pelé, the first to achieve it since his debut at the age of 17 in 1958, with six goals, in Mexico 1970, with another four, and in Chile 1962 and England 1966, with one target each.

The Argentine Messi has also scored in four World Cups, who reached this mark with the penalty scored against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, but in South Africa 2010 he left empty.

Cristiano breaks another record after, after the initial whistle against the 'Black Stars', adding his fifth participation in a World Cup. Thus, the forward enters a select group that until now only included the Mexicans Antonio Carbajal and Rafael Márquez, the Italian Gianluigi Buffon and the German Lottar Matthaus, and that since Qatar 2022 has other members such as the Argentine Leo Messi or the Aztec Andrés Saved.

The striker was substituted around 90 minutes into the World Cup debut in Portugal, increasing his position as the top scorer for his team, with which he has already celebrated 118 goals in 192 games. Figures that helped lift the Euro Cup with the Portuguese in 2016 and the League of Nations in 2019. Thus, the World Cup is the only title that Ronaldo resists and that he will fight to lift in Qatar.