TORONTO: Cristiano Ronaldo ended his long-standing FIFA World Cup knockout-stage drought by scoring a goal in Portugal’s Round of 32 clash against Croatia at the Toronto Stadium on Friday.
Ronaldo, 41, calmly slotted a penalty kick in the 67th minute, scoring his first-ever goal in a FIFA World Cup knockout match.
Al-Nassr striker previously failed to find the net in his eight knockout appearances. Ronaldo’s 29 shots without finding the net were the joint-most of any player on record (since 1966) alongside Brazil’s Roberto Carlos.
The strike also made Ronaldo, 41 years and 147 days old, the oldest player to score a goal in the World Cup knockout stage.
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Before Friday’s encounter against Croatia, all 10 of Ronaldo’s World Cup goals had come during the group stage, including two in the 2026 edition against Uzbekistan. His two World Cup assists have also come in the group phase.
Ronaldo’s lack of goals in the knockout rounds had long stood in contrast to his reputation as one of football’s greatest big-game performers.
The Portuguese captain remains the UEFA Champions League’s all-time leading scorer with 140 goals, nearly half of which came in knockout matches, including four in finals. He has also scored in both European Championship quarter-finals and semi-finals.
Portugal will now play Spain on 6 July in Dallas in the pre-quarter final.
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