With tears in his eyes, Cristiano Ronaldo left the field after Portugal’s defeat by Spain, in a scene that marked the end of an era.

The Iberians’ elimination in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup was, by all accounts, the Portuguese legend’s final match in a World Cup finals, bringing to a close a journey that spanned two decades.

Ronaldo ended his World Cup career with 27 appearances and 11 goals, and in the 2026 tournament, he wrote yet another golden chapter in soccer history.

With his goal against Uzbekistan, he became the first player in history to score in six different World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026)—a feat that no one else has achieved to date.

His appearances in each tournament:

2006 (Germany): 6 appearances, 1 goal
2010 (South Africa): 4 appearances, 1 goal
2014 (Brazil): 3 appearances, 1 goal
2018 (Russia): 4 appearances, 4 goals
2022 (Qatar): 5 appearances, 1 goal
2026 (U.S., Canada, Mexico): 5 appearances, 3 goals

*photo source: AP