Cristiano Ronaldo's sixth and likely final World Cup will be the first for the Portugal great since he left European football to play in Saudi Arabia. The surprise move in late 2022 shocked many in the soccer world and prompted widespread doubts about whether his form would be affected by facing lower-level competition. But Ronaldo, who turned 41 in February, has dismissed any notion of a drop in performance going into next month's showcase event. And, to help make his case, the goals have kept coming, both for Al Nassr and with Portugal.

Portugal coach Roberto Martínez said Ronaldo is as hungry as ever and doesn't see any signs that the star forward has slowed down after moving to Saudi Arabia. "He keeps performing and he keeps showing his value and he keeps showing that (he) is important for the national team," Martínez said. "To have that hunger when you've won everything in the game is quite remarkable. And that's without getting away from the fact that to be in the national team you need to be somebody that can help the team now and not with what you've done in the past."

Ronaldo and his longtime rival Lionel Messi are set to reach the milestone of playing in six World Cups. Ronaldo is the all-time leader in appearances (226) and goals (143) for a men's national team. He is also the only man to have scored in five World Cups. "Even though he's the captain, even though probably he's achieved what no other player in world football has achieved, which is the number of games for the national team, over 225 appearances, just with that number is a uniqueness about what he brings, but I think he has the same demands as any other player in the national team," Martínez said.

Ronaldo made the move to Saudi Arabia in the middle of the 2022-23 season after his latest stint with Manchester United, rejecting other offers to take up a reported salary of $200 million a year and "give a different vision of this country and football." Ronaldo said at the time his work in Europe was done and he was ready for a "new challenge." Criticism immediately began to pour in, with many fans and pundits not liking what appeared to be his choice of taking the big Saudi money instead of continuing his career in elite soccer. Some said he was virtually retiring from competitive soccer.

Ronaldo has constantly praised the Saudi league, though, saying it's better than both the French and the Portuguese leagues. He said those who criticize him should go there and try to compete in temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 F) and keep performing like he has. "I don't need to speak because they can say whatever they want, but the numbers don't lie," Ronaldo said in an interview with Piers Morgan last year. "They've never been here, they've never played here ... For me it's (easier) to score in Spain than score in Saudi (league)."

Ronaldo's move away from Europe did not appear to affect his performances on the international stage with Portugal. He has kept playing at a high level since then, scoring 25 goals in his last 30 games with the national team. Ronaldo went scoreless in five European Championship games in 2024 as Portugal reached the quarterfinals. In 2025, about two and a half years after he started playing in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo helped Portugal win the Nations League title, with one of his eight goals in the competition coming in the final against Spain.

Ronaldo has maintained a top-notch physical condition despite just having turned 41. He was hindered by a hamstring injury sustained in late February but recovered quickly. On May 7, he was scoring his 100th Saudi Pro League goal in his 105th league appearances for Al Nassr, which has a chance to win its first league title since 2019. "All the efforts (Cristiano) makes and what he does on the pitch, which he has experienced more than all of us together, which he puts in every day and every game, is unique," João Félix, Ronaldo's teammate with both Al Nassr and Portugal, told the Saudi Pro League earlier this year. "And that we see him, at 40 years old, doing what he does, only gives us more motivation."

Ronaldo scored 14 goals in 16 matches in his debut season in Saudi Arabia in 2022-23. In his first full season, he netted 35 goals in 31 games, setting a new scoring record in the league. Al Nassr won its first Arab Club Champions Cup in 2023 thanks to a pair of goals by Ronaldo in the final. In the 2024-25 season, Ronaldo scored 25 goals in 30 matches, and so far this season he has found the net 26 times in 29 appearances. He was the league's top scorer in both of his first two full seasons, and now is five goals shy of Al Ahli's Ivan Toney.

Ronaldo's journey to this World Cup has been marked by resilience and relentless pursuit of excellence. Born on February 5, 1984, in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, he began his professional career at Sporting CP before moving to Manchester United in 2003. There, he won three Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League, earning his first Ballon d'Or in 2008. His record-breaking transfer to Real Madrid in 2009 for £80 million set a new benchmark. During his nine seasons at Madrid, he became the club's all-time leading scorer, winning four Champions League titles and four Ballon d'Ors. After a stint at Juventus, he returned to Manchester United in 2021 before the Saudi move.

Now, entering his sixth World Cup, Ronaldo carries the weight of Portugal's expectations. He led Portugal to glory at Euro 2016 and the 2019 UEFA Nations League, but the World Cup title remains elusive. Portugal's best finish under Ronaldo was third place in 1966 and a fourth-place finish in 2006, before he became captain. In 2014, Portugal exited in the group stage; in 2018, they reached the round of 16; and in 2022, they fell in the quarterfinals to Morocco. This time, with a deep squad featuring talents like João Félix, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and Rafael Leão, Portugal is considered a dark horse. Martínez has built a flexible tactical system that accommodates Ronaldo's strengths, utilizing him as a focal point in attack while allowing creativity from the midfield.

Ronaldo's physical preparation has been legendary. He maintains a strict diet, rigorous training regimen, and uses cryotherapy and hyperbaric chambers to recover. His discipline has allowed him to defy age, and his stats from Saudi Arabia back his claims. The Saudi Pro League has grown in stature, attracting other stars like Karim Benzema, Neymar, and Sadio Mané, raising the competition level. Ronaldo's presence has accelerated the league's global visibility, and his performances have silenced many early doubters. Al Nassr's campaign for the league title is still alive, and Ronaldo's 100 goals in 105 matches demonstrate his clinical finishing.

Yet, the World Cup presents a different challenge. The tournament held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico will test players' endurance with travel and varying climates. Ronaldo's experience will be invaluable. He has played in 22 World Cup matches, scoring eight goals, with his best performance in 2006 when he scored one goal as Portugal reached the semifinals. In 2010, he scored one goal; in 2014, one; in 2018, four; and in 2022, one. He has assisted several crucial goals, including against Ghana in 2014. The 2026 World Cup could be his last chance to add the trophy that has eluded him, a quest that drives him and his team.

Ronaldo's role off the pitch remains influential. He is the team's captain and a mentor to younger players. Martínez has noted the positive impact of Ronaldo's professionalism on the squad. Despite some media speculation about his future after the World Cup, Ronaldo has refrained from making long-term plans. "It's difficult for me to say, because obviously I've learned very quickly not to predict the future with Cristiano, just because he's got this elite brain about being the best that he can be today," Martínez said. "And I'm thinking if you ask him, he'll tell you the same. He doesn't make plans."

With the tournament approaching, Ronaldo focuses on proving that his move to Saudi Arabia has not diminished his abilities. The world's most famous footballer, with a social media following of over 1 billion, is determined to write one more chapter in his storied career. Whether it ends with a World Cup winner's medal or not, his legacy as one of the greatest players of all time is secure. But for now, the immediate goal is to help Portugal navigate a tough group that includes Uruguay, South Korea, and Ghana, and then progress deep into the knockout stages. The first match is scheduled for June 15, 2026, and all eyes will be on the iconic CR7, seeking to silence his critics one last time.

Source: MSN News