Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo has made history at the 2026 World Cup, becoming the first player to score in six different editions of football’s greatest tournament.
The 41-year-old struck twice in a commanding 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan in Group K, staring down a television camera after his second goal and screaming “I’m back! I’m back!” at those who had written him off.
Ronaldo had faced sharp criticism following Portugal’s disappointing 1-1 draw with DR Congo in their opening group fixture, with many questioning whether he had become a liability for his nation.
Global stars including Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Vinicius Jr, and Harry Kane had all impressed in the tournament’s opening fortnight, piling further pressure on the veteran forward.
Ronaldo took just six minutes to answer those doubts, sweeping in a superb half-volley from Joao Cancelo’s cross to open the scoring and write his name into the record books.
He added a second before half-time with a composed finish after Bruno Fernandes played a perfectly-weighted through-ball, and only a goalline clearance from Abdukodir Khusanov denied him a first-half hat-trick.
When asked about his “I’m back” outburst after the match, Ronaldo said it was “only so they [his critics] don’t forget – 23 years [doing so] like this.”
“I’m very happy but the most important thing is the work the team did and the confidence it gives us,” he added, before reflecting on a challenging week between matches.
“It’s been a difficult week, a dark week without kicking a ball, but we dealt with it as we always do because we believe in our work. It was difficult, but we’re back,” Ronaldo said.
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez praised his captain’s leadership during the difficult period, saying Ronaldo “was a perfect captain, very much focused and made use of his experience because it is not the first time he deals with this situation.”
Martinez also pushed back against the criticism directed at his squad, insisting: “It was a difficult week because we hadn’t achieved the result we were aiming for and we had a difficult situation with criticism, noise – which was actually unfair.”
Former Manchester United team-mate and ex-England captain Wayne Rooney told BBC Sport he was full of admiration, saying: “With all the other top players scoring goals at this tournament, to score two goals at the World Cup at 41 is incredible.”
Rooney added: “He didn’t have the best game but this is what he does. He’s taken a bit of criticism and this is how he responds. He has done that his whole career.”
Roy Keane, speaking on ITV Sport, was equally effusive, insisting: “Cristiano Ronaldo was never gone. He is the man. What is up with everybody? Doubted genius.”
Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro, himself a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, acknowledged the forward’s enduring brilliance, saying: “Cristiano is still one of the strongest players in the history of football. If you give him one centimetre in the box you are dead.”
Ronaldo is now the second-oldest scorer in World Cup history at 41 years and 138 days, behind only Cameroon’s Roger Milla, who scored against Russia in 1994 at the age of 42.
A free-kick from Nuno Mendes, an own goal by goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov, and a late fifth from substitute Rafael Leao completed the rout, Portugal’s third-biggest victory of the 2026 tournament.
Portugal now face Colombia on Sunday 28 June, with Group K qualification and top spot still to be determined heading into the final round of fixtures.
