Cristiano Ronaldo’s time in Spain was incredibly productive. In nine seasons with Real Madrid between 2009 and 2018, he banged in a mind-boggling 450 goals in 438 games, winning four Champions Leagues and two league titles along the way, not to mention numerous personal accolades. But not only that, his happiest World Cup memory to date also came against Portugal’s Iberian neighbors.

A World Cup record that never quite matches his club dominance

Ronaldo has not always had the happiest relationship with the World Cup. Although he is the only player in history to have scored in six different tournaments, his ratio of 0.42 goals per game is a far cry from his career scoring rate of 0.73.

After reaching the semifinals in his first tournament with Portugal in 2006, he has only once reached as far as the quarterfinals since, in Qatar in 2022, when he lost his place in the starting lineup before the knockout stage.

On an individual level, his best performance in the tournament so far came in 2018, when he scored four of his 11 World Cup career goals in four appearances. More like the Ronaldo we know, and some of us love. Three of those memorably came in the same group stage game against Spain.

Spain, Iran and Morocco set the stage

Drawn with Iran and Morocco, the European duo were heavy favorites to progress to the round of 16, which they eventually did, albeit unconvincingly. The opening match proved to be one of the games of the tournament, with Ronaldo helping himself to half of the six goals scored.

After just three minutes, the Portugal captain somewhat dubiously won a penalty after a challenge from former Real Madrid teammate Nacho, and had little problem dispatching the ball past David de Gea.

Diego Costa leveled for Spain midway through the half with a fine individual goal, but it was Portugal who led at halftime thanks to another Ronaldo strike just before the break.

Ronaldo was credited with the goal, although it was only made possible by a dreadful error from De Gea. The Spain goalkeeper was right behind the Portugal superstar’s low strike from the edge of the D but somehow let it slip through his grasp and into the net.

Ronaldo headlines World Cup thriller in Russia

It looked as if Spain were on course to claim an opening victory after two quick-fire goals at the start of the second half. First, Sergio Busquets headed across goal for Costa to tap in from close range, before Nacho redeemed himself by lashing in a brilliant strike on the run from the edge of the box.

But as has happened so often throughout his career, Ronaldo had the last word. With just two minutes of normal time left, the forward curled a brilliant free kick into the top corner to secure a point for Portugal.

Ronaldo also scored the only goal in the 1-0 win over Morocco but drew blanks in the final group game, a draw with Iran, and the round of 16 defeat to Uruguay, which ended Portugal’s tournament prematurely.

Until this year, Ronaldo had never scored more than one goal in a World Cup other than in 2018. With his first ever knockout goal now in the bag, he will be hungry for more as another Iberian derby comes into focus in the last 16.

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