Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first footballer to score in six different World Cups after he netted a brace in Portugal’s 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan at the 2026 World Cup.
Ronaldo netted the opener in the sixth minute, when he calmly converted João Cancelo’s low cross from the right with a first-time finish at the near post.
The goal saw the 41-year-old also become the second-oldest player ever to score at a FIFA World Cup, trailing only Cameroonian legend Roger Milla, who netted against Russia at the age of 42 during the 1994 tournament.
Ronaldo scored his second of the night – a third for Portugal – in the 36th minute after Nuno Mendez had scored the second on 17 minutes.
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An own goal by Abduvohid Nematov and a late goal by Rafael Leao completed the rout for Portugal, who had played a 1-1 draw with DR Congo in their opening game.
Recall that on Monday, Argentina’s Lionel Messi became the top scorer in World Cup history with a double against Austria to take his total to 18. He has five goals so far in the ongoing tournament.
However, Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday, has only scored at five of the six tournaments he has played in, failing to register in 2010.
Ronaldo has now struck 10 times, having scored once at the 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2022 finals and four times in 2018, including a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw with Spain.
(Ripples)
