Cristiano Ronaldo said Portugal’s emphatic victory over Uzbekistan mattered more to him than any individual achievement after the veteran forward scored twice in a 5-0 Group K win at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday.
Ronaldo found the net in the sixth and 39th minutes as Portugal secured their first victory of the tournament at Houston Stadium. The result moved Roberto Martinez’s side to the top of Group K and strengthened their chances of advancing to the knockout stage.
The 41-year-old striker delivered the response Portugal needed after being held scoreless in a disappointing draw against DR Congo in their opening match. His two-goal performance also came on the same day that Lionel Messi scored a brace for Argentina, adding another chapter to the long-running rivalry between two of football’s greatest players.
Despite the historic nature of his performance, Ronaldo insisted his attention remains firmly on Portugal’s objectives rather than personal accolades.
“I am very happy. But for me, the most important thing is our hard work and the confidence we showed,” Ronaldo told FIFA after the match.
“The team played very well and improved a lot. As the saying goes, every difficulty brings an opportunity.”
“Of course, on a personal level, records are always nice, but my goal has always been to help the national team achieve its objectives,” he added.
Ronaldo’s first goal against Uzbekistan carried particular significance, making him the first player in football history to score in six different World Cup tournaments.
His World Cup scoring journey began in Germany in 2006 when he scored against Iran. Since then, he has found the net in every World Cup edition in which he has appeared, extending the streak through 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and now 2026.
The brace also elevated Ronaldo to the top of Portugal’s all-time World Cup scoring chart. He now has 10 goals in the tournament, surpassing every other Portuguese player in World Cup history.
Another record followed when Ronaldo became the second-oldest player ever to score at a World Cup. At 41 years and 138 days old, he trails only Cameroon legend Roger Milla, who scored at the 1994 World Cup at the age of 42 years and 39 days.
The achievement adds to an already remarkable international career that has spanned more than two decades and seen Ronaldo break numerous scoring and appearance records for both club and country.
Portugal will now turn their attention to a decisive final group-stage encounter against Colombia, with first place in Group K still at stake. If Ronaldo can maintain the form he showed against Uzbekistan, Portugal will head into the knockout rounds as one of the tournament’s most dangerous teams.
For Ronaldo, however, the focus remains unchanged. The records continue to accumulate, but the ultimate goal is helping Portugal challenge for the one major trophy that has eluded him throughout his extraordinary career — the FIFA World Cup.
