Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo is the first ever player to score a goal at five World Cups after helping beat Ghana. So, HITC Football has looked at the Selecao XI for his first goal.
Ronaldo put behind him an otherwise forgetful performance and a host of wasted shots as he won a second-half penalty. Referee Ismail Elfath generously pointed to the spot having adjudged Ghana and Southampton star Mohammed Salisu to have fouled the 37-year-old.
Both players arrived at the ball at the same time. Yet Ronaldo threw himself to the ground after prodding a toe at the ball to poke it away from Salisu. The free agent would make no mistake from the spot as Ronaldo lashed home into the top corner past Lawrence Ati Zigi.
Ronaldo had wasted a couple of easy chances earlier on as Ati Zigi smothered his shot and the former Manchester United striker headed wide. But converting from 12 yards out saw the Selecao skipper strike his 118th Portugal goal in his 192nd cap. He also has 43 assists.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo is the first player to score a goal at five World Cups
Ronaldo hitting home from the spot against Ghana also saw the Portugal icon become the first player to score a goal at five World Cups. He made his debut at the FIFA tournament at Germany 2006 before scoring again at South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner only scored once in Germany, South Africa and Brazil. But he fit four in Russia after an opening game hat-trick to draw 3-3 with Spain. His other goals include efforts against Iran (2006), North Korea (2010), Ghana (2014) and Morocco (2018).
While the country Ronaldo has scored against at World Cups has not always been as tough as 2010 champions Spain, getting goals at five finals speaks of the successful longevity the five-time Champions League champion has produced in the game at the very highest level.
The striker made his senior debut for Sporting Lisbon way back in September 2002 before spells at Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and the Red Devils again. He also fired his first Selecao goal at Euro 2004 in his eighth cap following his debut during August 2003.
Ronaldo came off the bench in Portugal’s opening Group A clash with Greece at Euro 2004. But he would not help the Selecao avoid a 2-1 defeat as the forward’s 93rd-minute header at 19 years and 128 days old from Luis Figo’s cross only proved to be a consolation effort.
So, now that Ronaldo has become the first player to score a goal at five World Cups, HITC Football looks back at the Portugal XI that lost to Greece en route to the Euro 2004 final…
Ricardo (GK): Ronaldo’s first Portugal goal could not stop Greece from winning
Former Portugal manager Luiz Felipe Scolari started Ricardo in goal as the Selecao began their Euro 2004 campaign against Greece. But Georgios Karagounis beat the 79-cap shot-stopper to score at a corner after just seven minutes. Angelos Basinas later hit a penalty.
Paulo Ferreira (RB): A Champions League winner with FC Porto started the tie
Paulo Ferreira started against Greece on the back of winning the Champions League at FC Porto. The 62-cap right-back went on to add to his 2003/04 title at Chelsea in 2011/12 and lifted three Premier League crowns at Stamford Bridge between 2004 and retiring in 2013.
Jorge Andrade (CB): The Deportivo de la Coruna hero played every minute at Euro 2004
Deportivo de la Coruna hero Jorge Andrade played every minute at Euro 2004 as Portugal reached the final. He also helped to keep clean sheets against Russia and Spain in Group A before eliminating England and the Netherlands. But Greece beat Portugal 1-0 in the final.
Fernando Couto (CB): Captained Portugal in their first Euro 2004 defeat to Greece
Fernando Couto captained the Portugal XI that lost their opening Group A game to Greece, despite World Cup record-breaker Ronaldo scoring his first international goal. The 110-cap icon made his Selecao debut back in December 1990 and retired after the Euro 2004 final.
Rui Jorge (LB): The Portugal U21 boss only played their first Euro 2004 fixture
Rui Jorge has been the Portugal U21 head coach since taking up the role back in November 2010. The 49-year-old’s lengthy tenure has seen the former left-back oversee 103 matches so far. He only played 45 for Portugal, including just their first Euro 2004 defeat to Greece.
Maniche (CDM): The midfielder’s goals helped Portugal beat Russia and the Dutch
Maniche started in all six of Portugal’s Euro 2004 matches and scored once in their 2-0 win over Russia and 2-1 win over the Netherlands. Over the course of their respective careers, the 52-cap anchor would feature 42 times with Ronaldo and combined for two goals in all.
Costinha (CDM): He featured with World Cup record-breaker Ronaldo 34 times
Costinha featured with World Cup record-breaker Ronaldo 34 times across their respective Portugal careers. The pair never combined for a goal but made the World Cup semi-final in 2006. France ended their adventure before losing the third-place play-off 3-1 to Germany.
Rui Costa (CAM): Ronaldo assisted the Portugal icon to beat Russia at Euro 2004
Ronaldo and Rui Costa’s careers only overlapped for Euro 2004 as the 94-cap legend hung his boots up after that summer’s European Championship. The Selecao’s 2-0 Group A win over Russia also returned their only goal participation as Ronaldo assisted a late second.
Luis Figo (RW): Ronaldo overtook the Portugal icon to be their most-capped star
Ronaldo overtook Figo to be Portugal’s most-capped player in June 2016 after the 128th of his 192 so far. Figo had featured 127 times for his nation from 1991 to 2006. He retired for the second time following the 2006 World Cup having initially bowed out after Euro 2004.
Pauleta (ST): Ronaldo overtook the forward as Portugal’s top-scorer in March 2014
Ronaldo overtook Pauleta to become Portugal’s all-time top-scorer in March 2014 when the forward hit his 48th of 118 goals. Pauleta had struck the net 47 times across 88 caps from 1997 to 2006. He retired after captaining their 2006 World Cup third-place play-off defeat.
Simao (LW): The winger is Portugal’s 10th top-scorer of all time
Simao now ranks 10th in Portugal’s all-time scoring charts after striking home 22 across 85 caps from 1998 to 2010. He only scored two over 11 appearances at World Cups, though. The Benfica icon also never netted a goal during a European Championship over six games.
Cristiano Ronaldo (SUB): Scolari introduced the forward for his first Portugal goal
Scolari also introduced Nuno Gomes and fellow Portugal icon Deco from the bench in their Euro 2004 defeat to Greece. Both Ronaldo and Deco entered the action at the break whilst one behind. Ronaldo’s stoppage-time header only struck Basinas’ 51st-minute penalty out.
Deco is now an agent and the 75-cap Selecao icon brokered Raphinha’s £55m switch from Leeds United to Barcelona in July. Gomes, meanwhile, won 79 caps from 1996 until 2011.
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