Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo made his World Cup debut in 2006 in Germany. He and Lionel Messi of Argentina are the only players to appear in six World Cups. Ronaldo’s defining moments include a hat trick against Spain in 2018. He has scored at least one goal in all six World Cups in which he’s appeared, something not even Messi has done.
The 41-year-old Ronaldo made his final World Cup appearance on Monday, a 1-0 loss to Spain in Arlington, Texas. He ends his career with 11 World Cup goals, which is tied for ninth. His 146 goals in 233 appearances for Portugal are both records in international soccer.
___
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.