The ‘Siuuu’ came later. When Cristiano Ronaldo scored the opening goal against Uzbekistan, first came the relief – not only on his face, but those of his teammates, too. Once the celebratory huddle had dispersed, the all-time great seemed to remember that the fans were waiting for his trademark celebration. It was not the most emphatic ‘Siuuu’, but was perhaps the most emotional.
It was by no means a vintage Ronaldo performance. That may now only be seen in the archives. But, it was a much-improved showing, both from the team and its talisman. On his 24th World Cup appearance—only Lionel Messi (28) and Lothar Matthaus (25) have more—Ronaldo’s brace took his World Cup goal tally to 10 and career goals to 975.
He also became the first player to score at six different World Cups and, at 41 and 138 days, the second oldest scorer in the competition’s history, behind Roger Milla (42 and 39 days). There are other records, too. Like becoming the third player to be his country’s oldest and youngest goalscorer at the World Cup (among teams with more than one goalscorer), after Danish legend Michael Laudrup and Messi. And with all this, he has now set a new benchmark for Portuguese players.
However, Ronaldo is yet to score in the knockout rounds at a World Cup and will be looking forward to rectifying it this year.
While the record of scoring at six World Cups is one that is likely to stand the test of time—unless Messi shows up in 2030 and 2034 and scores—another record is particularly significant from a Portuguese perspective. With his second goal of the night, Ronaldo went past the great Eusebio to become his country’s top scorer at World Cups. Eusebio’s legacy stays intact though, in terms of goals-to-games ratio—he played only one World Cup (1966) and scored nine goals in six games.
A then 24-year-old Eusebio’s goals comprised four penalties, three first-time finishes from through balls, one header and one half-volley in the box. Over the years, Ronaldo has scored three penalties, two half-volleys in the box, one first-time finish from a through ball, one header, one free-kick, one truly unique goal and one off a goalkeeping error.
Unlike his other records, this is one the mere mortals among footballers have a chance of beating.
To celebrate the goal machine’s incredible longevity, here is our ranking of all of Ronaldo’s 10 World Cup goals:
10. de Gea’s gift vs Spain (2018)
Coming into the 2018 World Cup, David de Gea was the best goalkeeper in the world. By the end of the tournament, he was arguably the worst. The horror show started in the opener against Portugal. A relatively weak Ronaldo shot from the edge of the box somehow squirmed past de Gea. It was his second goal of the night and put Portugal 2-1 up.
9. Penalty vs Iran (2006)
First World Cup goal. A 21-year-old Ronaldo stepped up and confidently dispatched the penalty after sending the keeper the wrong way.
8. Penalty vs Ghana (2022)
A pressure penalty, given the circumstances and the conversation around Ronaldo. The keeper went the right way, but Ronaldo had hit it with enough power to take it past him.
7. Penalty vs Spain (2018)
Before de Gea’s mistake, while he was still considered the world’s best goalkeeper (albeit not one famous for saving penalties), Ronaldo sent him the wrong way before striking an emphatic penalty into the opposite corner—to the keeper’s left, as opposed to Ronaldo’s preferred spot to the keeper’s right.
6. Clinical finish vs Ghana (2014)
After a Nani cross caused confusion in the Ghana box, the goalkeeper pushed the ball out—but straight to Ronaldo’s feet. Horror-struck, three defenders and the goalkeeper hurried to close him down, but to no avail. Ronaldo kept calm and lashed home a perfectly placed, left-footed half-volley.
5. First-time finish vs Uzbekistan (2026)
After being played through by the in-form Bruno Fernandes, Ronaldo caressed the ball past the advancing goalkeeper into the far corner for his second goal of the night.
4. Half-volley vs Uzbekistan (2026)
Elite movement to find the space in the box and a controlled finish to open his account at this World Cup. Not as easy as he made it look.
3. Header vs Morocco (2018)
Another instance of elite movement in the box, but this was supplemented by the bravery to dive in with a header close to a flailing foot. His only headed goal at World Cups, so far.
2. Free-kick vs Spain (2018)
Vintage Ronaldo. Perfectly executed. Curled past a valiant attempt by Sergio Busquets in the wall to head the ball, and past de Gea, who didn’t move.
1. Instinctive brilliance vs North Korea (2010)
Arguably the most unique goal in World Cup history. With Ronaldo through on goal, the keeper raced out and slid in, causing the ball to loop up as Ronaldo tried to take it past him. Momentum carried Ronaldo in front of the ball. But, while he was off balance, Ronaldo was aware of the ball’s position as it bounced off his upper back. A second, more fortuitous, touch off the back of his head caused the ball to fall into his path. He reacted with lightning-fast reflexes to spot it, judge its trajectory and slot it into an open goal.
