Cristiano Ronaldo makes history, becomes oldest World Cup knockout goal scorer as Portugal beat Croatia

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (7) celebrates after scoring the opening goal. (AP photo) Cristiano Ronaldo added another remarkable chapter to his glittering career by becoming the oldest goalscorer in World Cup knockout stage history as Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in a dramatic round of 32 clash on Thursday.Aged 41 years and 147 days, the Portugal captain converted a second-half penalty to rewrite the record books and surpass Lionel Messi as the oldest player to score in the knockout rounds of the World Cup. It was also Ronaldo’s first ever goal in the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup, making the milestone even more significant.Portugal sealed their place in the round of 16 despite a tense finish that included a disallowed Croatian goal.Ronaldo also became the second-oldest scorer in FIFA World Cup history overall. Only Cameroon legend Roger Milla, who scored at the 1994 tournament at 42 years and 39 days, remains ahead of the Portuguese icon on the all-time list.

Ronaldo is rewriting the World Cup record books

Ronaldo’s historic strike was another reminder of his extraordinary longevity at the highest level. Already Portugal’s oldest player at the World Cup, he now holds the record for the oldest player to ever score in a FIFA Men’s World Cup knockout match.The game also marked Ronaldo’s 26th appearance at the World Cup, surpassing a number of legendary names and leaving him just one behind German great Lothar Matthäus (27) on the all-time list. Argentina captain Lionel Messi remains the record holder with 29 World Cup appearances.The 41-year-old’s latest heroics come amid continued speculation that the 2026 FIFA World Cup could be the final international tournament of his illustrious career. Although retirement rumors continue to circulate, Ronaldo remains under contract with Al Nassr until the 2026-27 season.

Oldest fielder to start a World Cup knockout match

Ronaldo’s inclusion in Portugal’s starting XI also meant he created another milestone before a ball was even kicked.At 41 years and 147 days, he became the oldest outfield player ever to start a men’s World Cup knockout match, surpassing the mark set just one day earlier by Bosnia and Herzegovina captain Edin Dzeko, who started against the United States at 40 years and 106 days.Croatia captain Luka Modrić, aged 40 years and 296 days, also featured from the start, making it the first men’s FIFA World Cup match to feature two outfield players over the age of 40.The updated list of oldest fielders to start a knockout match at the Men’s World Cup now reads:

• Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal vs Croatia) – 41 years, 147 days
• Luka Modric (Croatia vs Portugal) – 40 years, 296 days
• Edin Dzeko (Bosnia and Herzegovina vs USA) – 40 years, 106 days