Ronaldo becomes oldest outfield player in World Cup knockout history as Portugal face Croatia

Cristiano Ronaldo rewrote the record books once more on Thursday, becoming the oldest player ever to feature in a World Cup knockout-stage match as Portugal took on Croatia in the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Portugal captain was 41 years and 147 days old at kick-off.

The milestone adds to an already extraordinary World Cup CV. Thursday’s appearance was Ronaldo’s 26th match at the tournament, moving him to within one of Lothar Matthäus’s tally of 27 — second on the all-time list. Lionel Messi holds the outright record with 29 appearances.

Despite holding the record for the most international goals scored by any men’s player, Ronaldo has yet to find the net in the knockout rounds of a World Cup. His 29 shot attempts across eight knockout-stage matches are tied for the fourth-most by any player since 1966, a statistic that underlines both his persistence and the elusive nature of that particular prize.

Ronaldo’s record in the knockout stage has also been difficult. Outside of Portugal’s fourth-place finish at the 2006 World Cup, he has managed only one victory in the knockout rounds across his entire international career.

Thursday’s match carried additional weight given the speculation surrounding Ronaldo’s future. Widespread reports suggest he intends to retire from international football after the 2026 World Cup, though he remains contracted to Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr through the 2026-27 season.

Ronaldo was not the only veteran making history on the night. Croatia captain Luka Modrić, aged 40 years and 296 days, also started, meaning the Portugal-Croatia tie became the first World Cup match ever to feature two outfield players over the age of 40 on opposing sides.