Who became the first man to score in five different FIFA World Cup tournaments?
Answer
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first man to score in five different FIFA World Cup tournaments.
He reached the milestone by scoring Portugal’s opening goal against Ghana on 24 November 2022 in Qatar. Ronaldo had already scored at the 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 World Cups. His five-tournament scoring span ran from Germany 2006 through Qatar 2022.
Ronaldo’s goal against Ghana was a penalty in Portugal’s 3–2 group-stage victory. He was 37 years old at the time, making the achievement notable for both its longevity and the number of tournaments involved.
The record refers to the men’s FIFA World Cup. Marta achieved the equivalent five-tournament scoring feat in the women’s World Cup earlier, so wording that says simply “first player” can be misleading. Lionel Messi later scored in five men’s tournaments as well, beginning in 2006 and continuing through 2022.