New Delhi: Cristiano Ronaldo turned back the clock with a stunning performance as Portugal thrashed Uzbekistan 5-0 in the FIFA World Cup 2026. The 41-year-old captain scored twice to help his side register their first win of the tournament after a stunning performance against DR Congo.With his goal, Ronaldo made history and became the first player to score in six FIFA World Cups, from 2006 to 2026. He also became Portugal’s all-time World Cup leader with 10 goals, surpassing Eusebio’s nine. The win also tied Lionel Messi and Michael Laudrup as the youngest and oldest World Cup winners.In another story, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have arrived at an amazing showboth stars draw the same gap of 20 years and 6 days between their first and latest goals.Portugal entered the tournament under pressure after being held 1-1 by DR Congo in their opening match. In Uzbekistan, however, they appeared sharper and bolder. Along with Ronaldo’s two goals, Nuno Mendes and Rafael Leao found the net, while Uzbekistan’s goalkeeper, Abduvohid Nematov, completed the scoring.The win not only revived Portugal’s World Cup campaign but also widened their goal difference ahead of the final group stage. It was a much-needed response from Ronaldo, who struggled to get going in the opening game.
Ronaldo and Martinez did something
Despite reaching another impressive performance, Ronaldo insisted that the team’s success remains at the forefront.“The team did very well and changed a lot. As they say, every cloud has a silver lining. Obviously, speaking personally, records are always good but my goal is always to help the national team achieve its goals,” he said.Portugal coach Roberto Martinez praised his team’s response after a disappointing start.“This is what we did in the dressing room. There are times when you need a game like the first one to grow the competition. Today we saw a team with the same mentality and commitment, but with great maturity because it was no longer the opening game,” said Martinez.For Ronaldo, it was another reminder that despite being 41 years old, he can still make football history.
