The 41-year-old captain scored twice to become the first footballer to score in six separate World Cup tournaments, surpassing Eusébio as Portugal’s all-time top scorer at the finals
Cristiano Ronaldo etched his name into football history on Tuesday, scoring twice as Portugal thrashed Uzbekistan 5-0 at NRG Stadium in Houston to become the first player to score in six separate World Cup tournaments.
Ronaldo opened the scoring in the sixth minute, side-footing home from six yards after connecting with a low cross from João Cancelo. He sealed his historic brace in the 39th minute, finishing calmly after a precise delivery from Bruno Fernandes.
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Nuno Mendes curled a brilliant free-kick directly into the back of the net in the 17th minute to make it 2-0. Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov unfortunately fumbled the ball past his own line in the 60th minute for an own goal, and substitute Rafael Leão drove home a powerful strike from the edge of the penalty box in the 87th minute to complete the scoring.
Portugal dominated possession with 66 percent and registered 16 shots, nine on target, while Uzbekistan managed seven shots, two on target. Portuguese passing accuracy stood at 92 percent compared to Uzbekistan’s 77 percent.
Ronaldo’s double took his career World Cup tally to 10 goals, officially surpassing the legendary Eusébio as Portugal’s all-time top scorer at the global finals. Following heavy media criticism and a quiet 1-1 opening draw against DR Congo, Roberto Martínez’s side bounced back with immense maturity.
According to a report by Accra Street Journal, Fabio Cannavaro’s tactical layout for Uzbekistan struggled to contain the technical wing-play of Cancelo and Mendes, leaving striker Eldor Shomurodov largely isolated up front. Portugal now have four points in Group K, while Uzbekistan remain on zero and face elimination.
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on June 23, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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