King without the crown: Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career in graphics
Cristiano Ronaldo has concluded his World Cup career after participating in six editions, setting a record for scoring in each one. Despite his longevity and individual achievements, he retires from the tournament without having won a World Cup title.
Why it matters
The article serves as a retrospective on one of the most significant figures in modern sports history, highlighting the intersection of individual excellence and team-based tournament success.
Ronaldo’s World Cup career began in 2006, and as of this year, his appearances in six World Cup competitions, with at least one goal in each, are an unbeaten record. Argentina’s captain Lionel Messi also appeared in six editions, but did not score a goal in 2010.
Ronaldo’s best World Cup in terms of goals scored was 2018, and Portugal’s best finish was in 2006, when it lost in the semifinals. On a per-90-minute basis, Ronaldo’s goal-scoring rate is 0.45 goals across the six FIFA World Cup editions he has played in, according to data from Fbref.
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