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Cristiano Ronaldo is widely expected to be one of the star players making his final appearance on the World Cup stage in 2026.

Since making his World Cup debut in 2006, Ronaldo has represented Portugal in 22 matches across the tournament’s editions.

With 8 goals and 2 assists, his contributions for the national team in football’s most prestigious competition have been significant.

Unfortunately, despite his brilliance, Ronaldo has never managed to lead Portugal to a World Cup title in the five editions he has played.

The closest he came was reaching the semi-finals in 2006, which remains his best result in the tournament.

In other editions, Portugal, despite Ronaldo’s presence, often stumbled before going deep into the knockout rounds.

That included the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Portugal’s journey ended at the quarter-final stage after a 0-1 defeat to Morocco.

Youssef En-Nesyri’s header in the 42nd minute sealed the win for Morocco, ending both Portugal’s and Ronaldo’s dreams of glory in that edition.

Heading into the 2026 World Cup, Ronaldo now has one final chance to achieve his ultimate dream—lifting the trophy that has eluded him his entire career.

Looking back at his interview with Piers Morgan in November 2025, Ronaldo reflected on his legacy in football, asserting that it would remain untarnished even if he never won the World Cup.

The former Manchester United star expressed his belief that winning a tournament consisting of fewer than ten matches doesn’t fairly define a player’s greatness.

He questioned whether a short tournament could truly determine who deserves to be called the best in history.

“If you ask me, Cristiano, is winning the World Cup a dream? No, it’s not a dream,” Ronaldo said in that podcast.

“Winning the World Cup will not change my name in football history, I won’t lie,” he added.

“Some people might say Cristiano would be the greatest if he wins the World Cup, but I disagree, because I’ve already won three titles with Portugal,”

“Of course, you always want to win, because when you compete, you want to triumph. But honestly, for me, it won’t change how I see things, especially in football,”

“To define whether I am one of the best in history? Is it fair to decide that based on one competition? Six or seven matches? That’s not fair,” he concluded.

Ronaldo’s words have naturally sparked mixed reactions among fans and pundits.

Yet, when considering his illustrious career, few would dispute that Ronaldo deserves his place among football’s all-time greats.

After all, his record-breaking achievements at both club and international level speak for themselves.

At club level, Ronaldo has won domestic league titles with every team he has represented.

During his time at Sporting CP, he lifted the Portuguese Super Cup in 2003.

His move to Manchester United marked the beginning of his rise to global stardom, where he collected 12 trophies.

His haul with United includes one UEFA Champions League title, three Premier League titles, two Carabao Cups, one FA Cup, one FIFA Club World Cup, and one Community Shield.

Ronaldo’s career reached even greater heights during his nine-year spell at Real Madrid.

There, he won four UEFA Champions League titles, two La Liga championships, two Copa del Rey trophies, and two UEFA Super Cups.

The veteran forward, now 40 years old, also secured two UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups during his time with Los Blancos.

His statistics at Real Madrid remain extraordinary—450 goals and 131 assists in 438 appearances.

After Madrid, Ronaldo continued his journey with Juventus and a return to Manchester United before joining Al Nassr.

Most recently, he achieved his long-awaited goal of winning the Saudi Pro League title with Al Nassr this season.

On the international stage, Ronaldo has lifted three major trophies with Portugal—one UEFA Euro and two UEFA Nations League titles.

In total, the eternal rival of Lionel Messi has won 36 trophies across club and international football.

Adding to his extraordinary legacy, Ronaldo has claimed the Ballon d’Or five times throughout his career.

Yet, despite his remarkable list of honours, the World Cup remains the only major trophy missing from his cabinet.

This missing piece has kept the GOAT debate between Ronaldo and Lionel Messi alive for years.

Messi, having already completed his own fairytale by winning the 2022 World Cup, appears to have a slight edge in that conversation.

If Ronaldo ends his career without capturing the World Cup, the debate over who is the greatest of all time may tilt in favour of Messi, largely due to that difference.

Now or Never: Ronaldo’s Legacy on the Line at the 2026 World Cup

Discussing the seemingly endless Messi-Ronaldo rivalry, football enthusiast and Red Devils Jersey Collector (RDJC) member Bayu Ajianto shared his thoughts.

As a Manchester United fan and a devoted Ronaldo supporter, Bayu believes the 2026 World Cup represents a defining moment for his idol.

With Portugal’s current golden generation, Bayu feels Ronaldo will be eager to see his teammates rally behind him to finally deliver the nation’s first-ever World Cup triumph.

“The phrase ‘now or never’ perfectly sums up Cristiano Ronaldo’s situation at the 2026 World Cup,” Bayu Ajianto told Tribunnews on Thursday (4 June 2026).

“He knows very well that the Portuguese national team is filled with key players from top clubs,”

“There’s no reason for his teammates not to fight with everything they have for their country’s hero, the GOAT Cristiano,” he added.

In the 2026 World Cup, Portugal will compete in Group K alongside Congo, Uzbekistan, and Colombia.

Their opening match is scheduled for Thursday (18 June 2026) at 00:00 WIB.

(Tribunnews.com/Dwi Setiawan)