At this point, there is not much left for Cristiano Ronaldo to prove, which is part of what makes him so fascinating to watch. Now 41 years old, he is set to become the first man ever to appear in six World Cups (alongside Messi and Mexico’s Guillermo Ochoa), and this tournament feels like the final major chapter in one of the most decorated careers the sport has ever seen. Ronaldo remains the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football with 143 goals for Portugal.
Ronaldo is no longer the unstoppable all-action force of his Real Madrid peak, but he is still producing. He has scored 24 goals for Al-Nassr this season as the Saudi club sits atop the league, and he continues to chase the absurd personal milestone of 1,000 career goals. That blend of longevity, production, and sheer force of will is hard to match in any era.
The real intrigue, though, is what kind of World Cup ending he can still write. Portugal have enough talent around him to be a serious contender to win the trophy, and teammate Bruno Fernandes said last week that winning the tournament would be the perfect way to crown Ronaldo’s international career. Whether he is still a central star or more of a finishing piece, every Portugal match will carry the same question: does one of the greatest players ever have one last signature moment left on the biggest stage?