Ronaldo Ends ‘Dark Week’ With Historic Double Against Uzbekistan
Cristiano Ronaldo has described enduring a “difficult, dark week” before scoring twice to help Portugal to a commanding 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan at the 2026 World Cup — a result that also saw him etch his name further into the record books.
According to The Guardian, the 41-year-old became the first player in history to score in six different World Cup tournaments, a milestone that arrived just one day after his long-time rival Lionel Messi became the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
The buildup to the game had been far from comfortable. Portugal had drawn with Democratic Republic of the Congo in their opener, and Ronaldo in particular faced pointed criticism — he had not found the net in 10 consecutive major tournament matches heading into Tuesday’s fixture. Questions about whether he remains the right man to lead Portugal at this stage of his career had grown loud.
After the final whistle, Ronaldo ran to a television camera and shouted: “I’m back, I’m back.” Speaking more calmly afterwards, he reflected on the toll of the week. “It felt like I’d already retired from football,” he said, adding that he had leaned on his belief in hard work to get through it. He also acknowledged that scrutiny of his age is nothing new across his 23-year professional career.
Portugal boss Roberto Martínez was full of praise, calling Ronaldo a “perfect captain” throughout the adversity, and noting his daily commitment in training. Uzbekistan head coach Fabio Cannavaro, a World Cup winner himself, added that the display should shift perceptions of players competing in the Saudi Pro League, suggesting Ronaldo’s hunger and sharpness at 41 speaks for itself.
When asked about Messi’s record-breaking goals, Ronaldo was characteristically blunt: “I don’t care about Messi.”
With four points from two games, Portugal appear well placed to progress from the group stage. For UK bettors keeping an eye on the tournament picture, you can follow all the action through our World Cup 2026 hub and check the live standings as the group phase develops.
Whether this performance marks the start of a genuine title run for Portugal remains to be seen, but Ronaldo will be hoping the worst of the criticism is now firmly behind him.