Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup Legacy: Breaking Down His Historic Tournament Journey

A sense of finality lingered as Cristiano Ronaldo walked away from Al Thumama Stadium with his head hanging low.

The celebrated Portuguese icon had just seen his 2022 World Cup journey end at the hands of Morocco's historic run, with skipper Ronaldo powerless to change the outcome despite coming off the bench in the latter half. His confidence remains unwavering, yet even the legendary Ronaldo might have considered this the end of his World Cup aspirations.

The coveted trophy had slipped through his fingers, but witnessing Lionel Messi's subsequent legacy-defining victory made Ronaldo's decision clear. Qatar wouldn't mark his finale. He's setting his sights on 2026, where North America presents the 40-year-old with one last opportunity to complete his illustrious resume.

The football icon earned his legendary status through his ability to shine on the most prestigious stages under intense scrutiny. Yet, at the sport's most magnificent spectacle, Ronaldo has struggled to find his rhythm.

Below is a comprehensive look at Ronaldo's World Cup journey since making his tournament debut in 2006.

2006 World Cup

The Portuguese talent was still an emerging force at Manchester United during the 2006 World Cup, with Ronaldo just beginning his transformation from a skillful winger into a goal-scoring forward of real quality.

Portugal was still recovering from their shocking loss to Greece in the Euro 2004 final when they arrived in Germany with high hopes. The 21-year-old Ronaldo was a crucial component of Luiz Felipe Scolari's squad.

His sole strike came via penalty in Portugal's second group match versus Iran, and after Scolari gave him a rest at the start of the knockout phase, the winger left their notorious win over the Netherlands in the round of 16 early due to a Khalid Boulahrouz tackle that brought him to tears.

A quick recovery allowed Ronaldo to feature in the quarterfinal clash with England, where he significantly contributed to teammate Wayne Rooney's red card after the English striker stepped on Ricardo Carvalho. Ronaldo's infamous wink afterward made him the most hated figure in England when the 2006–07 Premier League campaign began.

There was little sympathy when Portugal fell to France in the semifinals.

2010 World Cup

His 2009 transfer to Real Madrid made Ronaldo the world's most valuable player heading into the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He had achieved global stardom, though he was leading a significantly weaker Portuguese team than in 2006.

Ronaldo represented their primary hope, yet Portugal hadn't witnessed the peak performance of the 2008 Ballon d'Or recipient. He hadn't found the net during qualification, and his strike in their 7–0 demolition of North Korea marked his first international goal in 16 months.

His squad progressed to the knockout rounds alongside Brazil, but their journey ended against regional rivals Spain, the tournament champions, in the round of 16. Ronaldo called himself a "shattered individual" following the loss, having endured a relatively quiet competition.

2014 World Cup

Ronaldo claimed his second Ballon d'Or in 2013 and had guided Real Madrid to 'La Decima' just weeks before the 2014 World Cup commenced. Most would have considered him the planet's finest player at that moment, yet his tournament difficulties persisted in Brazil.

Ronaldo was reportedly dealing with a knee problem throughout, with Portugal failing to advance beyond the group stage after their talisman managed just one goal during the initial phase.

Following a 4–0 defeat to Germany on the opening day, Portugal scored late to secure a draw against the United States. Despite narrowly defeating Ghana 2–1 in their concluding group match, where Ronaldo found the net, they were eliminated on goal differential.

At home, doubts began surfacing about Ronaldo's leadership abilities.

2018 World Cup

Those doubts were erased at Euro 2016, when a Portugal team with limited supporting talent around Ronaldo shocked host nation France to claim the final 1–0. They hadn't won a single group match and benefited from a favorable path to the championship game, but Ronaldo was outstanding throughout, netting three times.

Their against-the-odds triumph two years earlier sparked hope for Fernando Santos's team in Russia, though the roster hadn't changed significantly. Ronaldo's performance would ultimately determine their progress, and it appeared they were destined for greatness when their star striker netted an unforgettable hat-trick in a 3–3 stalemate with Spain on day two of the competition.

Nevertheless, Ronaldo's brilliance was short-lived. After scoring four minutes into their second group encounter against Morocco, he couldn't find the target again. Portugal advanced to the knockout phase but fell to Uruguay in the round of 16.

Ronaldo was scoreless, extending his streak of failing to score in World Cup knockout matches to five.

2022 World Cup

Many might have believed that Ronaldo's disappointing performance in Sochi would mark his final World Cup appearance, but he continued scoring regularly for Juventus and maintained a respectable goal rate during his return to Manchester United.

Portugal's talent depth had grown substantially by the winter tournament in Qatar, and there was a feeling that their success wouldn't depend entirely on the 37-year-old's shoulders.

A successful penalty against Ghana made Ronaldo the first player to score across five World Cups, but the striker appeared sluggish throughout Qatar. If anything, he was hampering Fernando Santos' team, and that spot-kick on the opening matchday would be his tournament's only goal.

Santos opted for Benfica's Gonçalo Ramos in the knockout rounds, a choice validated by the striker's hat-trick in their round of 16 triumph over Switzerland. However, in their first World Cup quarterfinal since 2006, Portugal suffered a 1–0 defeat to Morocco. Second-half replacement Ronaldo had an opportunity to level late in the match, but Yassine Bounou made a brilliant save to deny him.

Portugal caught a preview of their future in that impressive Swiss victory, but Ronaldo's reluctance to step aside means they've continued featuring the superstar after Qatar. Assuming he avoids suspension, the 40-year-old is anticipated to be Roberto Martinez's first-choice striker next summer, and before contemplating tournament victory, Ronaldo will first aim to break his two-decade drought of knockout stage goals.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Complete World Cup Statistics