Mexico and South Africa commenced the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday with an engaging match at the iconic Estadio Azteca. Mexico, also known as ‘El Tri’, secured a thrilling 2-0 victory. The team took an early lead when Julian Quinones scored the opening goal just nine minutes into the match. Then, Raul Jimenez doubled the lead with another goal in the 67th minute.
As Mexico celebrated its success, gathering the attention of fans across the country, another narrative emerged focusing on one of the favorites for the World Cup, Portugal. A point highlighted by ESPN’s Ryan O’Hanlon reflects the challenge for Portugal. He cited a statistic suggesting that no player over the age of 40 has ever won a World Cup. This stat is relevant to Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who turned 41 in February.
The oldest player to win a World Cup was Italian goalkeeper Dino Zoff, who achieved this milestone in 1982 at the age of 40.
For Ronaldo, the upcoming World Cup is significant for another reason. It’s his sixth appearance at the tournament, setting a record that no other player has matched. Despite his decorated career, the World Cup trophy remains elusive. At 41 years old, Ronaldo knows this tournament is likely his last opportunity to capture it.
Ronaldo has built his career on defying expectations. Over the past year, he amassed over 970 career goals, further setting him as the all-time highest scorer. In 30 starts with Al Nassr, he netted 28 goals and provided two assists. Additionally, he remains Portugal’s all-time leading scorer, with 143 international goals, and scored five goals during the 2025 World Cup Qualifying matches.
The current Portuguese squad shows promise, with a roster considered among the strongest Ronaldo has played with. The team includes talents such as Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Rafael Leao, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, and Bernardo Silva. Even so, historical challenges stand unyielded, and Ronaldo faces an uphill battle against time.
Portugal kicks off its World Cup journey in Group K on June 17 against DR Congo in Houston. They then face Uzbekistan on June 23, also in Houston, before concluding the group stage against Colombia on June 27 in Miami.
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