Ronaldo Makes History at 41 But Still Cannot Score

Cristiano Ronaldo made history just by walking out at the 2026 World Cup. At 41 years old, the Portugal captain became the oldest player ever to appear in a men’s World Cup, breaking a record that had stood for decades. He drew a standing ovation from the crowd before a ball was even kicked. But records cut both ways at a tournament this ruthless.

In the same breath, Ronaldo extended a different kind of streak: ten consecutive matches without a goal across World Cups and European Championships combined. Against DR Congo in Portugal’s opening group game, he had three efforts at goal. All three missed. Two big chances in the second half, with the score locked at 1-1, went begging. Portugal scrambled for a draw. The debate about Ronaldo’s place in this squad is back — louder than ever.

The last time Ronaldo scored in open play at a major international tournament was almost five years ago. Since his penalty against Ghana at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he has gone through ten matches at World Cups and European Championships without scoring. Portugal have generally managed around that drought — the squad is too talented to rely on any single player — but the pattern is becoming impossible to look past.

In Portugal’s Matchday 2 win over Uzbekistan, it was Ruben Neves who broke the deadlock, not Ronaldo. Martinez persists with the captain in the starting XI, insisting there is no sense in leaving him out. But each scoreless match makes that argument a harder one to sustain.

This is familiar territory for Portugal. At Qatar 2022, Fernando Santos faced identical pressure to drop Ronaldo and eventually did so in the knockout rounds. Roberto Martinez has positioned himself as even firmer in his loyalty. The tactical logic holds some water: Ronaldo’s movement, hold-up play, and aerial presence still create space for Neves, Bruno Fernandes, and the attackers around him. At 41, his reading of the game remains sharp even if the explosive pace has gone.

But the World Cup does not wait for sentiment. With the Round of 32 approaching, Portugal need their captain to produce something more than historic appearance records. The group stage is almost done. Ronaldo needs a goal and the team needs him to find one.

There is a version of this story that ends with Ronaldo, impossibly, scoring in a World Cup quarter-final at 41 — his face beamed across every screen on the planet. Football loves that kind of script. But there is also a version where Portugal eventually concede he is better used as a 60-minute impact player and the squad actually improves as a result. Which story plays out may depend on whether Ronaldo finds the net in the next two weeks. The group stage clock is almost up.