Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has etched his name further into football history, becoming only the second player ever to start 25 FIFA World Cup matches.
The milestone came on Monday night as Ronaldo was named in Portugal’s starting lineup for their Round of 16 clash against Spain. However, the historic appearance ended in disappointment, with Portugal crashing out of the tournament following a 1-0 defeat, courtesy of a late winner from Mikel Merino.
Despite the loss, Ronaldo’s latest appearance adds another remarkable achievement to his illustrious career.
According to Opta, the 41-year-old is now the second player in World Cup history to reach 25 starts at the tournament. Only Argentina captain Lionel Messi has made more, with 27 starts across the same number of World Cup campaigns.
While Portugal’s quest for World Cup glory has come to an end, Ronaldo continues to rewrite the record books, reinforcing his status as one of the greatest players in football history.
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