Cristiano Ronaldo made football history on Tuesday as he became the first player to score in six different FIFA World Cups, helping Portugal secure a dominant 5-0 win over Uzbekistan in a Group K match at NRG Stadium in Houston.
The 41-year-old captain delivered an outstanding performance, scoring twice as Portugal produced one of their strongest displays of the tournament. The victory boosted Portugal’s chances of reaching the knockout stage while leaving Uzbekistan close to elimination.
Ronaldo made his mark early, scoring just six minutes into the game to register his first goal of the tournament and set a new World Cup record. Portugal continued to control the match and doubled their lead in the 17th minute when Nuno Mendes scored from a well-taken free-kick.
The Portuguese star struck again in the 39th minute, finishing calmly to make it 3-0 before halftime and completing a memorable first half for his side.
Portugal continued to dominate after the break and repeatedly tried to create opportunities for Ronaldo to complete his hat-trick. Although he came close several times, he was unable to add a third goal.
Any chance of an Uzbek comeback ended early in the second half when defender Abduvakhid Nematov accidentally put the ball into his own net while trying to clear a dangerous corner, giving Portugal a 4-0 advantage.
Portugal kept attacking until the final whistle, and substitute Rafael Leao added a fifth goal in the 87th minute to complete an impressive team performance.
The result puts Portugal in a strong position ahead of their final Group K match against Colombia on June 27, which could decide the group winner.
For Uzbekistan, the heavy defeat leaves their World Cup hopes hanging by a thread. They now need an unlikely combination of results to have any chance of progressing.
The evening belonged to Ronaldo, who added another remarkable record to his legendary career. Already the highest goalscorer in international football history, he once again proved his quality on football’s biggest stage.
