Ronaldo Outshines Messi Record Chase In Portugal Rout
Cristiano Ronaldo etched his name deeper into football folklore on Tuesday, becoming the first player in history to score at six different FIFA World Cup tournaments as Portugal crushed debutants Uzbekistan 5-0 in their Group K clash in Houston.
The 41-year-old captain opened the scoring in the sixth minute, swivelling on the six-yard box to meet a cross from João Cancelo and smashing it past goalkeeper Abduvokhid Nematov. The strike made him the first player to find the net across six editions of the tournament, spanning 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026.
The milestone arrived just a day after Argentina captain Lionel Messi became the competition’s all-time leading scorer. Messi reached 18 goals with a brace against Austria on Monday, surpassing Germany’s Miroslav Klose and overtaking Brazilian women’s great Marta, who has 17. Ronaldo’s response was emphatic.
His second came in the 39th minute, racing onto a Bruno Fernandes through ball to slot home. It was his 10th career World Cup goal, breaking a tie with the legendary Eusébio to make him Portugal’s all-time top scorer at the finals. The two strikes were the 144th and 145th of his international career, a tally he holds by 23 over Messi.
The goals carried added weight. Ronaldo had endured a 10-game goal drought in major tournaments stretching back to November 2022, and his quiet display in Portugal’s opening 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo had sparked calls for coach Roberto Martínez to drop him. His struggles stood in stark contrast to Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane, who all began the tournament in scoring form.
There was history beyond the six-tournament feat. At 41 years and 138 days, Ronaldo became the second-oldest player to score at a World Cup, behind Cameroon’s Roger Milla, who netted at 42 in 1994. He also became the oldest player to record a multi-goal game at a men’s World Cup, surpassing a mark Messi had set only this tournament.
Portugal were ruthless. Nuno Mendes curled in a free kick in the 17th minute, an own goal made it four on the hour, and substitute Rafael Leão completed the rout in the 87th minute before 68,777 fans in Houston. Uzbekistan, coached by 2006 World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro, had a goal ruled out by VAR for a foul on Cancelo.
The win lifts Portugal to the brink of the knockout rounds. They sit top of Group K following a draw with Congo DR in their opener. Their final group fixture comes against Colombia on Saturday.
Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner who lifted the European Championship with Portugal in 2016, remains in pursuit of the one prize that has eluded him. After the match, he said, “I’m very happy. But for me, the most important thing is our work and the confidence we showed. The team performed really well and improved a lot.”
At 41, on the grandest stage, Portugal’s captain answered his doubters once more.