FIFA World Cup 2026: Cristiano Ronaldo joins Lionel Messi in exclusive club despite Portugal failure

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi (ANI Photo) Cristiano Ronaldo etched his name deeper into FIFA World Cup history by becoming only the second male footballer to appear in six editions of the tournament, joining arch-rival Lionel Messi in an exclusive club. However, the milestone came on a frustrating night as Portugal drew DR Congo 1-1 in their opening match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.The 41-year-old Portugal captain made his sixth World Cup appearance, extending a remarkable international career that began in Germany in 2006. Ronaldo has since played in every edition – South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, Qatar 2022 and North America 2026 – and has shown extraordinary longevity over two decades.

Ronaldo joined Messi at the historic club

Earlier in the tournament, Argentina captain Lionel Messi became the first male player to appear in six FIFA World Cups in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria, a game in which the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner also scored his first World Cup hat-trick.With Ronaldo now completing the feat, the two modern icons stand alone as the only players in history to have played in six World Cups.FIFA also recognized the pair’s unique achievement by introducing a special ‘Legacy’ sleeve badge for players who have appeared in five or more editions of the tournament. Both Messi and Ronaldo will wear the badge during the 2026 competition.

A milestone overshadowed by a disappointing display

While Ronaldo reached another milestone, the Portuguese superstar struggled to make it against DR Congo. Portugal’s campaign got off to a stuttering start as Yoane Wiss’s equalizer canceled out Joao Neves’ early opener for a 1-1 draw.Ronaldo endured one of the quietest World Cup games of his career, registering just 25 touches – the second fewest in a World Cup start. He managed just five touches inside the opponent’s penalty area, attempted three shots and did not register a single shot on target.The performance added to concerns about the veteran striker’s effectiveness on the biggest stages.More worrying for Portugal is Ronaldo’s continued goal drought in major competitions. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has gone 10 consecutive matches without scoring at the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship.During that stretch, Ronaldo took 33 shots, 11 of which hit the target, but failed to find the back of the net.