Ronaldo Silences Critics With Historic Brace As Portugal Thrash Uzbekistan 5-0
Published on June 24, 2026 at 10:29 AM by Evance Kapito
Football legend Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a statement performance on the world stage, scoring twice as Portugal crushed Uzbekistan 5-0 in their Group K match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 41-year-old striker opened the scoring in the sixth minute before adding a second goal in the 39th minute, helping Portugal take full control of the match.
Additional goals from Nuno Mendes, an own goal by Abdukodir Khusanov and a late strike from Rafael Leão completed the rout.
The victory strengthened Portugal’s chances of advancing to the knockout stages ahead of their final group match against Colombia.
Ronaldo’s two-goal display was particularly significant as it saw him become Portugal’s all-time leading scorer at the FIFA World Cup with 10 goals, surpassing the previous national record of nine goals held by Portuguese football icon Eusébio.
The achievement came after a difficult week for the veteran forward, who had faced criticism and mockery from some football fans after failing to score while rivals Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé found the net in their respective matches.
Speaking after the game, Ronaldo admitted the criticism had been tough to endure.
“In 23 years it’s been always the same. When I do not score, I’m old and retired. It’s been a dark week for me, but no worries. We keep going.”
The Portuguese captain also reacted to the possibility of facing Messi and Argentina later in the tournament.
“Facing Leo Messi at the World Cup? It would be top. But my complete focus was on today. We won, I was able to score, we keep going together. I am happy for this.”
Ronaldo’s latest milestone adds to an already remarkable World Cup legacy. He has now scored 10 World Cup goals for Portugal and further extended his record as the first player in football history to score in six different FIFA World Cup tournaments.
His performance quickly became one of the biggest talking points on social media, with fans and football legends praising the veteran forward for once again proving his doubters wrong on football’s biggest stage.
At 41, Ronaldo continues to rewrite history and demonstrate why he remains one of the greatest players the game has ever seen.
