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Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring his hat-trick for Portugal against Spain in their FIFA World Cup match at Sochi Arena, Sochi, Russia, June 2018.

Ranking all 8 of Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup goals for Portugal

Michael Lee โ€ข

Cristiano Ronaldo is playing in his fifth World Cup and looking to guide Portugal to their first success in the biggest sports event in the world – he’s added one goal to his World Cup tally in Qatar and will have ambitions of making it more than eight.ย 

Despite featuring in four iterations of the tournament, Ronaldo is yet to score a World Cup goal in the knockout rounds as Portugal have struggled to match their run to the semi-finals of Germany 2006.

We’ve ranked each of his eight World Cup goals from worst to best. Sorry Cristiano, FIFA aren’t counting that header against Uruguay so neither are we.

8. Iran (2006)

A bog-standard penalty in a yawn-and-scratch-arse win over Iran in 2006 opened Ronaldo’s World Cup account.

Ignore the dispatch and focus on the non-stuttering run-up and heavy breathing that suggests Ronaldo was attending an antenatal class rather than about to biff the ball into the goal.

7. Spain (2018)

A terrible shot that was helped into the net by David de Gea during a classic encounter with Spain at Russia 2018, Ronaldo still celebrated his good fortune with all the modesty we’ve come to expect from Piers Morgan’s best mate.

6. Ghana (2022)

Ronaldo became the first and only player in history to score in five different World Cups in Portugal’s Qatar 2022 opener against Ghana.

The 65th-minute spot-kick proved the catalyst for a cagey match to become a 3-2 thriller. Hit with the confidence and poise we’ve come to expect.

5. Spain (2018)

When did Ronnie’s Adam’s Apple get so big? It’s almost as big as his head here, Jesus.

Other than that, this is another professionally dispatched penalty against a Spain XI boasting Andres Iniesta, Sergio Ramos and shithouse royalty Diego Costa.

4. Morocco (2018)

With this group stage match with Morocco just minutes old, Ronaldo launched himself at a corner and bulleted a header past a startled goalkeeper.

The neutrals inside Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium had got what they’d come for; the great goalscorer notching up another victim for his bedpost and indulging in his traditional – and definitely not annoying – celebration.

3. Ghana (2014)

Come for Ronaldo banging home his only goal of Brazil 2014, stay for Ghana making a three-course meal out of clearing a simple ball.

Glorious farce.

2. North Korea (2010)

Ronaldo channelled his inner seal in 2010, balancing the ball on his neck as the hapless North Korean goalkeeper slid past him like a child on a water slide.

Resisting the temptation to burst out laughing, the greatest European player of his generation tapped the ball into an empty net for the sixth goal in this 7-0 demolition.

1. Spain (2018)

One of the great World Cup moments; everybody of a certain age remembers where they were as Ronaldo lined up this free-kick.

He never looked likely to miss.

READ MORE:ย Comparing Messi and Ronaldoโ€™s records at major tournaments

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