Cristiano Ronaldo Aims to Break World Cup Knockout Goal Drought Against Croatia

Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese football legend, holds nearly every record for his national team, including being the all-time top scorer with 145 goals in 231 appearances and the first player to score in six different World Cups. Despite these achievements, he has yet to score a goal in any World Cup knockout stage match. As Portugal prepares to face Croatia in the Round of 16 on Thursday night (2:00 AM local time, Sport1), the 41-year-old Ronaldo will attempt to end this unusual streak of eight knockout games and 569 minutes without a goal.

If Ronaldo fails to score against Croatia, he will match the record of Dutch player Dirk Kuyt, who played in nine World Cup knockout matches without scoring, although Kuyt contributed three assists en route to the 2010 final. Ronaldo’s knockout stage goal drought has been a recurring theme across five World Cups: in 2006, he scored only once in the group stage and none in four knockout matches; in 2010, Portugal was eliminated in the Round of 16 with Ronaldo scoring only in the group stage; in 2014, injuries hampered him and Portugal did not advance past the group stage; in 2018, despite a hat-trick in the group stage, he was scoreless in the knockout loss to Uruguay; and in 2022, he scored only a penalty in the group stage and was benched during the knockout round, with Portugal exiting in the quarterfinals.

This World Cup marks what is likely Ronaldo’s final tournament, and he has already made history by scoring in six different World Cups. However, his performances have been inconsistent, with a weak start against Congo and struggles against Colombia. The upcoming match against Croatia represents his last chance to score in a knockout game and potentially lead Portugal deeper into the tournament. Ronaldo’s career has been defined by breaking records and silencing critics, so many expect him to finally overcome this "knockout curse."