After worldwide debate over whether Cristiano Ronaldo helps or hinders the Portuguese national side, the football icon hit back within nine minutes in Portugal’s clash with Uzbekistan, opening the scoring to become the first man to score at six different World Cups before doubling his tally with a fine 41st minute finish in a 5-0 triumph.
For the opener, the 41-year-old made a run from the back post to the near post to finish superbly off Pedro Neto’s cross from the right as Roberto Martinez’s side looked immediately sharper and more cohesive than in their 1-1 draw with DR Congo as Ronaldo became Portugal’s oldest World Cup goal scorer. Like Lionel Messi, as well as Michael Laudrup, they are their nations’ youngest and oldest World Cup goal scorers.
He is now the second oldest goal scorer in World Cup history behind Cameroon’s Roger Milla and overtook Eusebio as Portugal’s all-time top scorer, who scored nine goals in the 1966 World Cup.
The celebrations were delirious and an exhale of relief. In a tournament where Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane and all the top stars have been brilliant, it took Ronaldo a little longer to get started.
But when he did, he celebrated with gusto with his teammates, before running solo to perform his trademark SIIIUUUUUU as he opened his 2026, following an unprecedented run starting in 2006 when he was just 21 years of age.
The first ever player to score in 6 FIFA World Cups! 🇵🇹
He missed out in Portugal’s first match, but Cristiano Ronaldo opens his account early against Uzbekistan!#FIFAWorldCup | June 12 – July 20 | Every Match on SBS pic.twitter.com/X4bxto0EwP
— SBS Sport (@SBSSportau) June 23, 2026
🚨🌎 | GOAL: CRISTIANO RONALDO OPENS THE SCORING FOR PORTUGAL! WHAT A GOLAZOO!
HE SCORES HIS FIRST GOAL IN THE 2026 WORLD CUP!
🇵🇹 Portugal 1-0 Uzbekistan 🇺🇿 pic.twitter.com/yj3qcrJBt4
— TheGoalsZone (@TheGoalsZone) June 23, 2026
The Group K clash, taking place in Houston, pitted one of the European heavyweights against a World Cup debutant from Asia, whose highest profile stars are central defender Abdukodir Khusanov, who plays for Manchester City, and their coach, Italian World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro.
Ronaldo’s impact has been tangible. For their second goal, the entire Uzbekistan side had been preoccupied with Ronaldo shaping up to blast a free-kick from the edge of the area. After an iconic puff of his chest and exhale, Ronaldo played the role of dummy, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Nuno Mendes stepping up to smash home the second instead. Ronaldo’s presence clearly wrong footed goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov, who could not adjust quickly enough to make the save.
Often criticised for taking the limelight, this showed a different side to the Portuguese skipper; although, he did bring it back to himself in the celebrations, pointing to his brain to acknowledge the plan.
When Portugal were awarded a free-kick right on the edge of the area, everyone in the stadium thought the ball had Cristiano Ronaldo’s name on it.
Including Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov.
But Ronaldo was only the decoy, allowing Nuno Mendes to double Portugal’s lead… pic.twitter.com/Fr4nsGmmqz
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) June 23, 2026
Cristiano Ronaldo’s reaction to Nuno Mendes’ free kick says it all… 👀🇵🇹
They’ve definitely worked on that move in training. 🧠👌 pic.twitter.com/GkP8YkdGti
— Goals Side (@goalsside) June 23, 2026
Zlatan Ibrahimovic said, speaking on Fox Soccer in the US, : “When everybody thinks the main man is going to shoot he lets the free kick go to Nuno Mendes.
“All the stars have now presented themselves in the World Cup…a better team effort from the Portugal side today.”
It was a wonderfully entertaining clash, through a combination of a much sharper Portugal side but an Uzbekistan outfit that left acres of space for them to play in; the European outfit punishing them just before half-time when Bruno Fernandes surged forward and delicately fed Ronaldo, who drove the ball home from the right side of the box.
🚨 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋: 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐎 𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐃𝐎 𝐇𝐀𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐍 𝐒𝐈𝐗 𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐂𝐔𝐏𝐒 — 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐎 𝐃𝐎 𝐒𝐎 🤯
From 2006 to 2026. 𝑯𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑹𝒀 𝑯𝑨𝑺 𝑩𝑬𝑬𝑵 𝑴𝑨𝑫𝑬.
🇩🇪 2006 World Cup ⚽✔️… pic.twitter.com/wdesWcPX8D
— 433 (@433) June 23, 2026
Cristiano Ronaldo is now Portugal’s oldest and youngest scorer at the World Cup 🇵🇹⭐
Two other players have the same record for their country – Michael Laudrup and Lionel Messi 🇩🇰🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/ah9xYw1Pt7
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 23, 2026
Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the first ever player to score in six different World Cup tournaments.
🇩🇪 2006
🇿🇦 2010
🇧🇷 2014
🇷🇺 2018
🇶🇦 2022
🇺🇸 2026 🆕 pic.twitter.com/1eCSoSZhEo
— WhoScored (@WhoScored) June 23, 2026
“Not so much power, but precision,” Thierry Henry enthused of the second goal.
“Run, crosses, a bit more urgency when they pass the ball.
“The big man, if you feed him, he is going to score!”
Earlier, Uzbekistan thought they had pegged one back through what would have been one of the goals of the tournament from Azizjon Ganiev – a long range bomb – but it was ruled out correctly and cruelly for a foul on Joao Cancelo in the build-up.
Ronaldo, who was left on for the full 90 minutes, had multiple chances to add to his brace given the porous Uzbekistan defence but instead the other goals were an own goal, Mendes’ free-kick and a stunning late strike from Rafael Leao.
While they enjoy the celebrations, they will know that sterner tests await against Colombia on Saturday AEST.