Cristiano Ronaldo has done what Cristiano Ronaldo does best: score goals and make history. The Portuguese forward equaled Eusebio’s record of nine World Cup goals for Portugal on June 23, 2026, tying a mark that has stood since the 1960s.
The milestone came during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. And in what is widely believed to be Ronaldo’s final World Cup, the timing feels almost scripted.
A record six decades in the making
Eusebio, the “Black Panther” of Portuguese football, set the nine-goal benchmark across his World Cup appearances in the 1960s. For decades, no Portuguese player came close. Then Ronaldo, already his country’s all-time leading scorer across all competitions, methodically chipped away at the record tournament by tournament.
The crypto angle: meme tokens, NFTs, and speculative frenzy
