Ronaldo scores twice to break World Cup record as Dalot salutes him in dressing room

Cristiano Ronaldo made history at the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday, becoming the first player to score in six consecutive World Cup tournaments as Portugal crushed Uzbekistan 5-0 in their Group L fixture. The 41-year-old struck twice to end what he described as a “dark week” of scrutiny following a muted display in the opening 1-1 draw against DR Congo.

Ronaldo’s first goal came after he created space inside the box and smashed home first time from Joao Cancelo’s square ball. Nuno Mendes doubled the lead before Ronaldo added his second just before half-time, slotting into the bottom corner after a perfectly-weighted through ball from Bruno Fernandes. An Abduvakhid Nematov own-goal made it four on the hour, before Rafael Leao completed the rout — Portugal’s third-biggest ever win at a World Cup.

The result all but secures Portugal’s passage to the round of 32, and Ronaldo was awarded the Player of the Match prize — a particularly pointed response to the criticism he had faced after struggling against DR Congo, during which time his long-time rival Lionel Messi had scored five goals across two games for Argentina.

After collecting the trophy, Ronaldo was photographed sitting in the dressing room, and his former Manchester United team-mate Diogo Dalot posted the image on Instagram with the caption: “Smiling like a kid.” The two played alongside each other at Old Trafford for close to 18 months before Ronaldo’s departure from the club in December 2022.

Speaking after the Uzbekistan game, Ronaldo was candid about the pressure he had been carrying into the match. “I’m back, I’m back,” he said. “It’s always nice to break records, but my goal is to help the national team achieve its objectives.”