{"id":755671,"date":"2026-06-23T19:30:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T19:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/755671\/"},"modified":"2026-06-23T19:30:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T19:30:10","slug":"cristiano-ronaldo-goal-v-uzbekistan-portugal-world-cup-history-scoring-at-six-straight-world-cups-highlights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/755671\/","title":{"rendered":"Cristiano Ronaldo goal v Uzbekistan: Portugal World Cup history, scoring at six straight World Cups, highlights"},"content":{"rendered":"

After worldwide debate over whether Cristiano Ronaldo helps or hinders the Portuguese national side<\/a>, the football icon hit back within nine minutes in Portugal\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n

For the opener, the 41-year-old made a run from the back post to the near post to finish superbly off Pedro Neto\u2019s cross from the right as Roberto Martinez\u2019s side looked immediately sharper and more cohesive than in their 1-1 draw with DR Congo as Ronaldo became Portugal\u2019s oldest World Cup goal scorer. Like Lionel Messi, as well as Michael Laudrup, they are their nations\u2019 youngest and oldest World Cup goal scorers. <\/p>\n

He is now the second oldest goal scorer in World Cup history behind Cameroon\u2019s Roger Milla and overtook Eusebio as Portugal\u2019s all-time top scorer, who scored nine goals in the 1966 World Cup. <\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

The first ever player to score in 6 FIFA World Cups! \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf9 <\/p>\n

He missed out in Portugal’s first match, but Cristiano Ronaldo opens his account early against Uzbekistan!#FIFAWorldCup<\/a> | June 12 \u2013 July 20 | Every Match on SBS pic.twitter.com\/X4bxto0EwP<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 SBS Sport (@SBSSportau) June 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\ud83d\udea8\ud83c\udf0e | GOAL: CRISTIANO RONALDO OPENS THE SCORING FOR PORTUGAL! WHAT A GOLAZOO!<\/p>\n

HE SCORES HIS FIRST GOAL IN THE 2026 WORLD CUP!<\/p>\n

\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf9 Portugal 1-0 Uzbekistan \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddff pic.twitter.com\/yj3qcrJBt4<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 TheGoalsZone (@TheGoalsZone) June 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Ronaldo\u2019s 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\u2019s Nuno Mendes stepping up to smash home the second instead. Ronaldo\u2019s presence clearly wrong footed goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov, who could not adjust quickly enough to make the save. <\/p>\n

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. \u00a0<\/p>\n

When Portugal were awarded a free-kick right on the edge of the area, everyone in the stadium thought the ball had Cristiano Ronaldo\u2019s name on it.<\/p>\n

Including Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov.<\/p>\n

But Ronaldo was only the decoy, allowing Nuno Mendes to double Portugal\u2019s lead\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/Fr4nsGmmqz<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) June 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Cristiano Ronaldo\u2019s reaction to Nuno Mendes\u2019 free kick says it all\u2026 \ud83d\udc40\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf9<\/p>\n

They\u2019ve definitely worked on that move in training. \ud83e\udde0\ud83d\udc4c pic.twitter.com\/GkP8YkdGti<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Goals Side (@goalsside) June 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Zlatan Ibrahimovic said, speaking on Fox Soccer in the US, : \u201cWhen everybody thinks the main man is going to shoot he lets the free kick go to Nuno Mendes.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the stars have now presented themselves in the World Cup\u2026a better team effort from the Portugal side today.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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. <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udea8 \ud835\udc0e\ud835\udc05\ud835\udc05\ud835\udc08\ud835\udc02\ud835\udc08\ud835\udc00\ud835\udc0b: \ud835\udc02\ud835\udc11\ud835\udc08\ud835\udc12\ud835\udc13\ud835\udc08\ud835\udc00\ud835\udc0d\ud835\udc0e \ud835\udc11\ud835\udc0e\ud835\udc0d\ud835\udc00\ud835\udc0b\ud835\udc03\ud835\udc0e \ud835\udc07\ud835\udc00\ud835\udc12 \ud835\udc0d\ud835\udc0e\ud835\udc16 \ud835\udc12\ud835\udc02\ud835\udc0e\ud835\udc11\ud835\udc04\ud835\udc03 \ud835\udc08\ud835\udc0d \ud835\udc12\ud835\udc08\ud835\udc17 \ud835\udc03\ud835\udc08\ud835\udc05\ud835\udc05\ud835\udc04\ud835\udc11\ud835\udc04\ud835\udc0d\ud835\udc13 \ud835\udc16\ud835\udc0e\ud835\udc11\ud835\udc0b\ud835\udc03 \ud835\udc02\ud835\udc14\ud835\udc0f\ud835\udc12 \u2014 \ud835\udc13\ud835\udc07\ud835\udc04 \ud835\udc05\ud835\udc08\ud835\udc11\ud835\udc12\ud835\udc13 \ud835\udc0f\ud835\udc0b\ud835\udc00\ud835\udc18\ud835\udc04\ud835\udc11 \ud835\udc04\ud835\udc15\ud835\udc04\ud835\udc11 \ud835\udc13\ud835\udc0e \ud835\udc03\ud835\udc0e \ud835\udc12\ud835\udc0e \ud83e\udd2f<\/p>\n

From 2006 to 2026. \ud835\udc6f\ud835\udc70\ud835\udc7a\ud835\udc7b\ud835\udc76\ud835\udc79\ud835\udc80 \ud835\udc6f\ud835\udc68\ud835\udc7a \ud835\udc69\ud835\udc6c\ud835\udc6c\ud835\udc75 \ud835\udc74\ud835\udc68\ud835\udc6b\ud835\udc6c. <\/p>\n

\ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddea 2006 World Cup \u26bd\u2714\ufe0f\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/wdesWcPX8D<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 433 (@433) June 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Cristiano Ronaldo is now Portugal’s oldest and youngest scorer at the World Cup \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf9\u2b50<\/p>\n

Two other players have the same record for their country \u2013 Michael Laudrup and Lionel Messi \ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddf0\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddf7 pic.twitter.com\/ah9xYw1Pt7<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the first ever player to score in six different World Cup tournaments.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddea 2006
\ud83c\uddff\ud83c\udde6 2010
\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddf7 2014
\ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddfa 2018
\ud83c\uddf6\ud83c\udde6 2022
\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 2026 \ud83c\udd95 pic.twitter.com\/1eCSoSZhEo<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 WhoScored (@WhoScored) June 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cNot so much power, but precision,\u201d Thierry Henry enthused of the second goal. <\/p>\n

\u201cRun, crosses, a bit more urgency when they pass the ball.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe big man, if you feed him, he is going to score!\u201d<\/p>\n

Earlier, Uzbekistan thought they had pegged one back through what would have been one of the goals of the tournament from Azizjon Ganiev \u2013 a long range bomb \u2013 but it was ruled out correctly and cruelly for a foul on Joao Cancelo in the build-up.<\/p>\n

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\u2019 free-kick and a stunning late strike from Rafael Leao. <\/p>\n

While they enjoy the celebrations, they will know that sterner tests await against Colombia on Saturday AEST. <\/p>\n