Portugal thrash Uzbekistan as Ronaldo scores twice
After scoring twice in Portugal's 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan, Cristiano Ronaldo looked directly into a television camera and delivered a defiant message to those who had criticised him as a problem for Portugal at the 2026 World Cup.
The 41-year-old displayed visible emotion and joy as he celebrated becoming the first player to score in six different editions of football's premier tournament.
This achievement served as a strong rebuttal to his critics.
Ronaldo faced widespread criticism following Portugal's 1-1 draw with DR Congo in their opening Group K match. Meanwhile, other global stars such as Argentina's Lionel Messi, France's Kylian Mbappe, Norway's Erling Haaland, Brazil's Vinicius Jr, and England's Harry Kane had impressed during the initial two weeks of the tournament.
However, Ronaldo made a remarkable impact upon his entry into the competition.
He opened the scoring within six minutes with a record-breaking goal, expertly volleying in a cross from Joao Cancelo. He added a second goal before halftime with a precise finish after a through-ball from Bruno Fernandes.
A goalline clearance by Abdukodir Khusanov prevented Ronaldo from completing a first-half hat-trick. Despite his teammates' efforts in the second half, Ronaldo was unable to secure the hat-trick he sought.
Ronaldo has now scored in 11 different major tournaments, five more than any other European player, with Germany's Jurgen Klinsmann and Miroslav Klose, and Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri, each having scored in six.
When asked about his "I'm back" statement after the match, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner said it was
"only so they [his critics] don't forget - 23 years [doing so] like this".
He added,
"I'm very happy but the most important thing is the work the team did and the confidence it gives us. Obviously personal records are always nice but my goal is always to help the team achieve its objectives.
We had to get through many obstacles during the week but the team worked very well, we improved a lot.
It's been a difficult week, a dark week without kicking a ball, but we dealt with it as we always do because we believe in our work. It was difficult, but we're back."
Portugal will face Colombia on Sunday 28 June (00:30 BST) in their final Group K match to determine who advances and tops the group standings.
Portugal's manager Roberto Martinez highlighted Ronaldo's importance in boosting team morale and maintaining standards after the disappointing draw with DR Congo.
"It was a difficult week because we hadn't achieved the result we were aiming for and we had a difficult situation with criticism, noise - which was actually unfair," Martinez said.
"We were raging, we were sick, but we grew as a team, overcame emotions and have been able to give our very best. Cristiano Ronaldo was a perfect captain, very much focused and made use of his experience because it is not the first time he deals with this situation.
Our captain is an icon, he is playing in his sixth World Cup. He is a role model that plays for the Portuguese national team, that works hard every day, that tries to improve every training session and with a great attitude on the pitch and also in the dressing room."
Former England captain Wayne Rooney, who played alongside Ronaldo at Manchester United, told ,
"With all the other top players scoring goals at this tournament, to score two goals at the World Cup at 41 is incredible.
He didn't have the best game but this is what he does. He's taken a bit of criticism and this is how he responds. He has done that his whole career.
He wants to be the best and he's always been like that. When the other forwards and attacking players are scoring goals, he wants to top that list. His response here is exactly what you'd expect from him.
He's selfish in terms of he wants to be the best, but he is a team player also. To watch Messi last night and Ronaldo at their age, it's incredible what they are doing."
'Doubted genius - he was never gone'
Ronaldo is now Portugal's highest-scoring player in World Cup history with 10 goals, surpassing Eusebio's nine.
Both Ronaldo and Messi have participated in every World Cup since 2006. Messi has scored 18 goals, setting the all-time scoring record against Austria, compared to Ronaldo's 10. However, Messi did not score in the 2010 tournament.
While Messi will turn 39 on Wednesday, Ronaldo has become the second-oldest goalscorer in World Cup history, behind only Cameroon's Roger Milla, who scored against Russia in 1994 at age 42.
Alongside Ronaldo's two goals, a free-kick from Nuno Mendes, an own goal by Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov, and a late fifth goal from substitute Rafael Leao contributed to Portugal's third-largest victory in the 2026 tournament.
Uzbekistan's manager Fabio Cannavaro, a 2006 World Cup winner with Italy, praised Ronaldo's performance despite his age.
"You come to the World Cup and show that when you are 41 you are still hungry and can do a lot," Cannavaro said. "You don't forget how to play football. He is part of the history of the World Cup.
Football is not only in Europe, it's open to the whole world. There are no horizons or borders anymore. Cristiano is still one of the strongest players in the history of football. If you give him one centimetre in the box you are dead."
On ITV Sport, former Manchester United captain Roy Keane expressed that Ronaldo would inspire his teammates.
"Cristiano Ronaldo was never gone," Keane said. "He is the man. What is up with everybody? Doubted genius.
It's great to see him back. His two goals were excellent. Again, he has joined the party. The hardest point of the game is putting the ball in the back of the net - and he does.
What you have to admire about Ronaldo on top of everything else is he is a billionaire, who has won everything apart from the World Cup, but the hunger, and desire to keep getting in there.
To me that is the great example for these lads, that hunger to keep getting goals."
Ronaldo's goals at six World Cups
Ronaldo scored his first World Cup goal against Iran in 2006.
His only goal in the 2010 tournament came in a 7-0 win over North Korea.
In the 2014 World Cup, Ronaldo scored the winning goal against Ghana in Group G.
He scored a hat-trick against Spain in 2018, totaling four goals in Russia.
At the 2022 World Cup, Ronaldo netted once from the penalty spot against Ghana.
In 2026, Ronaldo scored twice against Uzbekistan, making history.
The stats behind Ronaldo's historic run
Ronaldo is the first male or female player to score in six different World Cups. Messi, Brazil's Marta, and Canada's Christine Sinclair have each scored in five.
At 41 years and 138 days, Ronaldo is the second-oldest scorer in World Cup history, behind Roger Milla (42 years, 39 days) in 1994.
He is one of only three players to be both their country's oldest and youngest World Cup goalscorer among nations with multiple scorers, alongside Michael Laudrup (Denmark) and Messi (Argentina).
Ronaldo made his 24th World Cup appearance against Uzbekistan. Only Messi (28) and Lothar Matthaus (25) have more appearances, with Ronaldo equalling Miroslav Klose and surpassing Paolo Maldini (23).
Ronaldo and Messi share the longest interval between a player's first and last World Cup goal, spanning 20 years and 11 days.
