🫨 Cristiano Ronaldo makes World Cup history - before game even starts

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Padraig Whelan·17 giugno 2026

🫨 Cristiano Ronaldo makes World Cup history - before game even starts

Cristiano Ronaldo has carved out another very impressive piece of footballing history at the World Cup.

Portogallo1

RD del Congo1

Primo tempo

His Portugal side take on DR Congo in their opening game on Wednesday.

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The icon will follow his old rival Lionel Messi into the record books when he becomes the next man to play in six separate editions of the competition.

But he has eclipsed Messi in another area by being named in the starting XI for Portugal in Houston by becoming the oldest outfield player ever to start a game at the World Cup.

41 - Aged 41 years and 132 days, 🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo is the oldest outfield player to start a match in FIFA World Cup history. Timeless.
– mercoledì 17 giugno 2026

Aged 41 years and 132 days, Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the second oldest player to start a match in World Cup history, behind Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary in 2018 (45 years, 161 days).
– mercoledì 17 giugno 2026