War of Soccer
Cristiano Ronaldo — Cristiano Ronaldo during Croatia v Portugal on 2 July 2026 at the 2026 FIFA World CupFW
Photo: Bryan Berlin · CC BY-SA 4.0

Player profile

Cristiano Ronaldo

Forward · Al Nassr

PortugalActive

Cristiano Ronaldo is international football's all-time leading scorer and Portugal's captain, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner now finishing his career at Al Nassr while still leading Portugal into a sixth World Cup at 41.

Career

Ronaldo's move to Al Nassr in early 2023 made him the highest-profile player in the Saudi Pro League, and by 2026 he had built a domestic trophy case there to match — including the 2025/26 Saudi Pro League title, won in the buildup to the World Cup. He signed a new two-year contract with the club, citing the chance to manage his workload ahead of the tournament.

For Portugal he holds both the men's international caps and goals records — 226 caps and 143 goals by the 2026 World Cup, the tournament he entered as the competition's most-experienced outfield player at his sixth appearance.

How they play

Once a dribbling wide forward, Ronaldo's game in his late 30s and 40s reshaped around what stayed: elite aerial power, a ruthless first-time finish, and positioning inside the box that needs fewer touches to produce a shot than it used to.

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez has kept him as the focal point of the attack rather than adapting him into a deeper, distributing role, betting that the finishing has not declined as fast as the running has.

Where they are now

Ronaldo arrived at the 2026 World Cup off the back of the Saudi Pro League title and 37 appearances across all competitions for Al Nassr, with his coach and Martinez both describing him as showing no signs of slowing down.

Portugal's tournament ended short of expectations — a Round of 16 exit to Spain — a disappointing finish to what was billed as Ronaldo's last realistic shot at the one major trophy, a World Cup, that has eluded him.

Bio

Date of birthFebruary 5, 1985 (age 41)
BirthplaceFunchal
Height185 cm
PositionForward
StatusActive
Current clubAl Nassr

Club career

  1. Al-NassrSince 2023Current
  2. Manchester United F.C.2021–2022
  3. Juventus FC2018–2021
  4. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol2009–2018
  5. Manchester United F.C.2003–2009
  6. Portugal Olympic football team2004
  7. Sporting CP2002–2003

International career

  1. Portugal men's national football teamSince 2003Current

Youth caps: U20 (2003) · U21 (2002–2003) · U17 (2001–2002) · U15 (2001)

Honours

  • UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award2017
  • UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award2016
  • Best International Athlete ESPY Award2014
  • UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award2014
  • Pichichi Trophy2014
  • FIFA Ballon d'Or2014
  • FIFA Ballon d'Or2013
  • La Liga Player of the Month2013
  • UEFA Team of the Year2012
  • UEFA Team of the Year2011
  • Pichichi Trophy2011
  • European Golden Shoe2011
  • Trofeo Alfredo Di Stéfano2011
  • Prémio Arco-íris2010
  • UEFA Team of the Year2010
  • FIFA Puskás Award2009
  • UEFA Team of the Year2009
  • Onze d'Or2008
  • UEFA Team of the Year2008
  • Premier League Player of the Month2008
  • European Golden Shoe2008
  • FIFA World Player of the Year2008
  • Ballon d'Or2008
  • PFA Team of the Year2008
  • UEFA Team of the Year2007
  • Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year2007
  • UEFA Club Footballer of the Year2007
  • PFA Players' Player of the Year2007
  • PFA Team of the Year2007
  • FWA Footballer of the Year2007
  • Premier League Player of the Season2007
  • Premier League Golden Boot2007
  • PFA Young Player of the Year2006
  • Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year2006
  • Premier League Player of the Month2006
  • FWA Footballer of the Year2006
  • PFA Team of the Year2006
  • Premier League Player of the Season2006
  • PFA Players' Player of the Year2006
  • PFA Team of the Year2005
  • UEFA Team of the Year2004
  • Bravo Award2004
  • Grand Officer of the Order of Prince Henry
  • Officer of the Order of Prince Henry
  • Commander of the Order of Merit of Portugal
  • Medal of Merit of the Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa

Defining moments

  1. Portugal's all-time leading scorer and most-capped player2026

    By his sixth World Cup, Ronaldo held both records outright for Portugal — 226 caps and 143 goals — a body of work built over more than two decades as the national team's talisman.

  2. A sixth World Cup, and a Round of 16 exit2026

    At 41, Ronaldo led Portugal into the 2026 tournament fresh off a Saudi league title, only for the campaign to end in the Round of 16 against Spain — leaving the World Cup as the one major honour never added to his collection.

Latest season stats (ESPN)

Starts (sub-ins): 30 (0)Goals: 28Assists: 2Shots: 161

In our archive

0 appearances0 goals0 assists

We haven’t archived a match featuring this player yet — appearances appear here the moment we cover one.

Sources

Read for this profile

Profile written / last reviewed July 31, 2026.

Data note: Ambiguous: 2 footballers matched this name on Wikidata (Q118125023, Q11571); picked Q11571 — age matched ESPN.

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Comments

0/2000

Be decent. No links. Slurs are held for review, not published.

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