Dhaka, Sept. 7 -- Cristiano Ronaldo started his bid to appear in a record sixth World Cup in stunning fashion, scoring twice as Portugal cruised to a 5-0 win over Armenia in their opening qualifier on Saturday.

Ronaldo, now 40, extended his men's international scoring record to 140 goals, showing he is still motivated to add to his legacy. Despite winning almost every major honor in his career, including the European Championship, the World Cup remains missing from his collection - a title his long-time rival Lionel Messi claimed with Argentina in 2022.

The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico is expected to be Ronaldo's final chance. If he makes it, both he and Messi will stand alone as the only players to feature in...