Ronaldo's Globe Prestige Moment: A Legend Reflects, Leads, and Eyes World Cup 2026

Career Milestones and a Royal Acknowledgment

Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, captain and top scorer of Al-Nassr, expressed his gratitude after being honored with the Globe Prestige award on the sidelines of his current international duty with Portugal.

Ronaldo is with Portugal preparing to face Ireland and Hungary in the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, this coming Saturday and Tuesday.

Ronaldo posted a photo on X showing the award he received, a tribute to his long and remarkable career with clubs and the Portuguese national team, expressing his gratitude for the exceptional honor and vowing to continue his journey with the same passion.

Ronaldo said: Proud of this special honor, 22 years with the national team, and I will carry on with the same passion. Thanks to all the coaches and teammates who helped me reach this point... Thank you all.

A Storied Career

Since his first appearance for Portugal in 2003, Ronaldo has established himself as one of the greatest players in international football history. He began his journey with Europe’s Brazil at 18, quickly becoming the captain and the emblem of his golden generation.

Ronaldo has played in nearly all major tournaments since Euro 2004, when he led Portugal to the final against Greece; after more than a decade of perseverance, he guided his country to the historic European Championship title in 2016, despite an injury in the final against France. He also added two more titles in the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.

Records include: Ronaldo is Portugal’s all-time top scorer with 141 goals, and the most-capped player with 223 international appearances. He became the first player to score in five consecutive World Cup editions (2006-2022), an achievement no one before him has matched. His continued ability to score across competitions and age groups has made him an icon of consistency and professionalism.

Beyond the numbers, Ronaldo was a commanding leader on and off the pitch, with an inspiring personality and boundless ambition. He helped raise Portugal’s global standing, turning it from a contender into a real football power on the world stage.

As he entered his thirties, Ronaldo remains an influential player with unrelenting ambition. His international legacy goes beyond trophies and goals, embodying a legend whose name is etched in football history through rare effort and persistence.

Captain Inspiring Al-Nassr

Since joining Al-Nassr in January 2023, Ronaldo has been a turning point in the club’s history and in Saudi football overall. The Portuguese star arrived in Riyadh with a winner’s mindset and the ambition to compete for all titles, giving the team a new identity based on professionalism, discipline, and leadership on and off the pitch.

Since his first appearance with Al-Nassr, Ronaldo has shown a direct impact on the team in attack and finishing in front of goal. He led Al-Nassr to decisive wins in the league and the AFC Champions League, contributing to Al-Nassr’s title in the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup after scoring important goals in knockout stages and the final against Al-Hilal, and his goal tally with the team has touched the 100-goal mark across all competitions by the start of the current season, at an exceptional scoring rate for a player his age.

Ronaldo was not just a scorer; he became a role model for discipline and hard work. He elevated his teammates, restored the champions’ identity for Al-Nassr, and became the team’s first captain with a clear impact in the locker room thanks to his long European trophy-winning experience.

Ronaldo’s impact extended beyond the club, drawing global attention to the Saudi league and opening the door for big-name stars from various European leagues. Al-Nassr’s market value rose unprecedentedly, and the club became one of the most followed teams worldwide on social media.

With this dual role, on-pitch and marketing, Ronaldo has written a new chapter of glory, proving his impact extends beyond Europe and inspires a new generation of players and fans in the Middle East.

World Cup Dream

The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada is an extraordinary, perhaps last, chance for Ronaldo to win a major international trophy; despite winning three continental titles, the World Cup remains a unique event, especially since longtime rival Lionel Messi won the World Cup with Argentina in 2022, and thus having a standout Portugal generation like Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Joao Neves, and Bernardo Silva could be a strong motivation for Ronaldo the captain and beacon to compete strongly for this title in a tournament featuring 48 teams and open to all possibilities.