fanzword

Fanzword – Logo Rgb (Final) 01

Ronaldo Shuts Down Critics With Historic Goal as Portugal Beat Uzbekistan

Cristiano Ronaldo opened his 2026 World Cup account by scoring Portugal’s opening goal against Uzbekistan in their second group stage match.

Get live scores & FPL updates
Download the Fanzword app

The 41-year-old superstar had faced intense criticism following a lackluster performance in the opening match against DR Congo. Additionally, Lionel Messi’s stellar tournament form had piled extra pressure on “El Bicho” ahead of the Uzbekistan clash.

However, Ronaldo rose to the occasion in trademark fashion. It took him just six minutes to break the deadlock, converting a sharp cross from João Cancelo with a powerful, first-time finish into the back of the net.

A Historic Milestone: 6 World Cups

With this strike, Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player in football history to score in six different World Cups. His tournament record spans across two decades:

  • 2006: 1 goal

  • 2010: 1 goal

  • 2014: 1 goal

  • 2018: 4 goals

  • 2022 (Qatar): 1 goal

  • 2026: 1 goal

This marks Ronaldo’s 9th overall goal in 24 World Cup appearances, drawing him level with the legendary Eusébio as Portugal’s all-time top scorer in the tournament’s history.

Furthermore, Ronaldo is now only the second player over the age of 40 to score in a World Cup. The only other player to achieve this milestone was Cameroon legend Roger Milla during the 1994 World Cup, at the age of 42.