Cristiano Ronaldo’s international career at World Cups has come to an end, with Portugal eliminated 1-0 by Spain in the round of 16 after a stoppage time winner from substitute Mikel Merino.
Ronaldo had confirmed before kickoff that this would be his last World Cup, bringing the curtain down on 27 appearances across six tournaments, second only to Lionel Messi’s 30.
His final World Cup will also be remembered for an unwanted statistic. Ronaldo finished the tournament with 17 shots without creating a single chance for a teammate, the most by any player at a single edition since 1966.
17 – Most shots on record (since 1966) at a single edition of the FIFA World Cup without creating a single chance for a teammate:
Cristiano Ronaldo, 17 (2026)
Alberto Garcia Aspe, 15 (1998)
Jerzy Gorgon, 13 (1974)
Katlego Mphela, 13 (2010)
Denis Cheryshev, 13 (2018)Ego. pic.twitter.com/RoXzmLjs6v
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 6, 2026
Mexico’s Alberto Garcia Aspe is next on the list with 15 at France 1998, while Poland’s Jerzy Gorgon, South Africa’s Katlego Mphela and Russia’s Denis Cheryshev share third on 13 apiece.
Despite the lack of service to others, Ronaldo still delivered when it mattered, scoring his first ever World Cup knockout goal against Croatia in the round of 32. He finishes his World Cup career with 11 goals in total, level for ninth on the all time list.
It is a stat that will resonate with long standing criticism of Ronaldo’s game, that his focus on his own output has, at times, come at the expense of those around him. For a player who has spent two decades chasing goals and records, it feels a fitting, if unflattering, final data point to close out his World Cup story.
Photo: Reuters/Jerome Miron
