Ronaldo joins Messi in record sixth World Cup appearance

Cristiano Ronaldo made his 23rd career World Cup appearance Wednesday, joining Lionel Messi as the only men to play in six tournaments.usatoday
Messi set the record a day earlier with a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria, tying Miroslav Klose’s all-time 16 World Cup goals.france24
Portugal’s opener ended level at halftime after DR Congo equalized an early João Neves goal at Houston’s NRG Stadium.foxsports

Ronaldo Starts Sixth World Cup as Pepe Misses Out After Retirement

Cristiano Ronaldo became the second man in history to appear at six FIFA World Cups on Wednesday, starting for Portugal in their 2026 opener against DR Congo in Houston — just one day after Lionel Messi set the record during Argentina’s victory over Algeria in Kansas City.

A Record Shared by Rivals

The 41-year-old forward was named in Portugal’s starting lineup for their Group K match, his 23rd career World Cup appearance across six tournaments stretching back to Germany 2006. In doing so, Ronaldo also set a record as the oldest outfield player to start a match at soccer’s grandest stage.usatoday

Messi had broken the barrier first on Tuesday, becoming the first male player to take the pitch in six different World Cups during Argentina’s 3-0 win, where he scored a hat-trick to tie Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring record of 16 goals. Ronaldo, who previously shared the five-World Cup record with Messi and three Mexican players — Antonio Carbajal, Andrés Guardado, and Rafael Márquez — as well as Germany’s Lothar Matthäus, now joins his longtime rival in this exclusive tier.france24

Pepe’s Absence Felt

Notably absent from Portugal’s squad was Pepe, Ronaldo’s longtime defensive partner who retired from professional football in August 2024 at the age of 41. The center-back’s last match came at Euro 2024, where Portugal were eliminated by France on penalties in the quarterfinals, and he became the oldest player ever to appear at a European Championship.espn

Pepe earned 141 caps for Portugal over a career that spanned multiple World Cups and European Championships, claiming 34 trophies across 23 professional seasons with clubs including Real Madrid, Porto, and Besiktas. Ronaldo paid tribute to his former teammate at the time of his retirement.tsn

The Match

Portugal’s campaign got off to an uneven start at NRG Stadium in Houston. João Neves gave Portugal an early lead, but DR Congo equalized before halftime, with the match level 1-1 at the break. Colombia and Uzbekistan are the other teams in Group K, and Portugal will need to find their rhythm quickly if they are to top the group.foxsports

Ronaldo’s World Cup journey — through South Africa in 2010, Brazil in 2014, Russia in 2018, and Qatar in 2022 — has never yielded the trophy he has long pursued. At 41, this is almost certainly his final chance.reuters