Seldom does a footballer come onto a football field and go on to inspire an entire generation to come, and then some. Ronaldo is one such name. He is poetry in motion and an absolute legend of the game. Come Sunday, Cristiano will be one of the most watched and sought-after footballers in the FIFA World Cup. Ronaldo has won 5 Ballon d'Or titles in his career, and everyone has heard the stories of his achievements, his greatness, his legacy and what not, but Ronaldo's World Cup journey is a little less talked about.
Let's take a look at Cristiano Ronaldo's journey so far in the FIFA World Cup.
A Debut To Remember
Cristiano Ronaldo played his first World Cup in 2006. He participated in this tournament wearing the number 17 jersey. He scored his first career World Cup goal against Iran by converting a penalty in the 80th minute. This goal made him the youngest Portuguese to score at the age of 21 years 132 days. Ronaldo scored only one goal in this World Cup.
The Making of CR7
By the 2010 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo had won a Ballon d'Or and had also got jersey number 7, which would, in the coming years define him. He had also become the captain of Portugal. In the 2010 edition of the World Cup, he scored only a solitary goal against North Korea.
The Forgettable 2014
Cristiano Ronaldo was troubled by injuries during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Portugal lost 0-4 in the first match. He could only manage one assist in the second match, a 2–2 draw against the USA. He scored his only goal of this World Cup in the last league match against Ghana.
The Beast, Unleashed!
Cristiano Ronaldo performed brilliantly in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He scored three consecutive goals one after the other in the first match against Spain. This made him the oldest player to score a hat-trick goal in the FIFA World Cup. After this, he also scored a goal in the match against Morocco.
The Story So Far
Ronaldo has played 4 FIFA World Cups and has scored a total of 7 goals. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be the fifth FIFA tournament of his career.
