Cristiano Ronaldo is on track to appear in a sixth World Cup at age 41, a feat that would further cement his legendary status in football.
His World Cup journey began in 2006, with Portugal reaching the semi-finals. Since then, the tournament has been an elusive prize, with their best result being a fourth-place finish.
Only Lionel Messi can match Ronaldo's record of six World Cup appearances, adding another chapter to their historic rivalry. Messi has eight Ballon d'Or awards to Ronaldo's five, but both continue to defy expectations.
For Ronaldo, the World Cup remains unfinished business. Despite 22 matches and eight goals across five tournaments, he has yet to lift the trophy.
In 2026, Portugal is drawn in Group K with Democratic Republic of Congo, debutants Uzbekistan, and Colombia.
After a disappointing quarter-final exit at Euro 2024, Portugal rebounded to win the Nations League, beating European champions Spain. Under coach Roberto Martinez, Ronaldo has scored 25 goals in 30 matches-a remarkable output.
Martinez recently praised Ronaldo's hunger: "Somebody that has won everything has the hunger of somebody that hasn't won a trophy yet."
2026 may be Ronaldo's final World Cup. But as history shows, writing him off is premature.