Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice on Tuesday in Portugal’s 5-0 win over Uzbekistan at the 2026 World Cup, becoming the first player ever to score in six different World Cups. Twenty years and one week after his first World Cup goal, against Iran at Germany 2006, he was again decisive on the sport’s biggest stage.
After the match, Ronaldo reflected on the milestone and said, “I knew that sooner or later I would show up and score.” He added, “I always show up. The media, when I don’t score, say I’m old. That I should retire. But they’ve been saying that for 23 years and I’m still here and scoring.” The brace took him to 10 career World Cup goals and made him Portugal’s all-time leading scorer at the tournament, moving past the legendary Eusébio.
The post-match focus, however, quickly shifted to Lionel Messi, after journalists brought up the Argentine’s own World Cup scoring record from the same evening. Ronaldo appeared irritated, cut off one reporter, and when another raised Messi again, he said, “I simply do not care about others,” before walking away. He then added, “Mbappé scored too, why don’t you ask about him?” The reactions spread widely online.
Portugal’s win, combined with a draw in its first two matches, has all but secured a place in the round of 32. The team now faces a major group-stage test against perfect Colombia in the night between Saturday and Sunday, with first place on the line. Colombia needs only a draw to finish top, while Portugal must win to avoid a tougher path later on.
