Cristiano Ronaldo dangerously close to unwanted World Cup record

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has edged closer to an embarrassing milestone following his side's final group stage match in North America.

The veteran forward's struggles to time his runs have placed him on the brink of becoming the most flagged player in modern tournament history.

The 41-year-old striker endured a deeply frustrating evening as Portugal played out a cagey 0-0 draw against Colombia to close out the initial phase of their 2026 World Cup campaign.

Amid mounting media criticism that his declining pace is actively hindering the national team's fluid attacking transitions, Ronaldo was caught behind the opposition's defensive line twice during the stalemated encounter.

Those two infractions raised his tournament total in North America to four, bringing his overall career tally to an astonishing 23 World Cup offsides since making his tournament debut two decades ago.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner now sits firmly in second place for the most offsides in the 21st century, leapfrogging French icon Thierry Henry and leaving him dangerously close to matching the all-time record.

A closer look at Ronaldo's historic discipline across six separate World Cup appearances reveals a persistent struggle with defensive traps, peaking during his seven-offside campaign at Qatar 2022.

While he managed a career-best single infraction during Russia 2018, his recent lack of mobility has seen him consistently mistime his forward bursts under manager Roberto Martínez.

With Portugal safely advanced to the knockout rounds, the legendary marksman needs just two more offside flags to match former Netherlands forward Robin van Persie's absolute record of 25.

As the high-stakes round of 32 approaches, opposing defenders will undoubtedly look to exploit this tactical vulnerability to neutralise the ageing superstar.