Ronaldo scores at sixth World Cup to break all-time record as Portugal beat Uzbekistan

Cristiano Ronaldo etched his name further into World Cup history on Tuesday, becoming the first player ever to score at six different tournaments as Portugal opened their 2026 World Cup group campaign against Uzbekistan.

The 41-year-old, who had faced mounting scrutiny heading into the match, silenced his critics by tucking home Joao Cancelo’s low cross just six minutes into the contest. The timing carried added weight, arriving a day after Lionel Messi had scored a brace for Argentina against Austria — a performance that had intensified the familiar debate surrounding the two icons.

Ronaldo’s goal capped a remarkable personal run at this summer’s tournament. A brace and a hat-trick in earlier fixtures had already made him the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history; Tuesday’s effort added yet another milestone to that tally.

Former Arsenal defender Lee Dixon, commentating for ITV, captured the moment’s significance. “You can feel the tension has been released,” Dixon said. “Hairs on the back of your neck. Everybody that loves football will be pleased he’s scored this. He’s pumped up now. When the ball has gone wide, at his age you don’t need to be flat out sprinting. He’s clever and nips in front. The timing of his run onto the cross is absolute perfection.”

Portugal doubled their advantage just after the quarter-hour mark through Nuno Mendes, who fired home a close-range free kick. Ronaldo played a direct part in the build-up, feigning to take the set-piece before the Paris Saint-Germain left-back quickly stepped in and caught Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov off guard.