Former Footballer: Ronaldo Will Easily Score a Brace Against Uzbekistan

Aleksey Gasilin, a former player for Zenit Saint Petersburg, shared his thoughts on the upcoming match between Portugal and Uzbekistan in the 2026 World Cup group stage.

The former footballer urged fans to enjoy the potential final World Cup appearances of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. In his view, this tournament could be one of the last major stage appearances for the two greatest stars in football history.

"Enjoy the games of Messi and Ronaldo. Appreciate the final performances of these stars at the World Cup," Sovetskiy Sport quoted Gasilin.

Gasilin did not hide that he expects high productivity from Cristiano Ronaldo in the Portugal vs. Uzbekistan clash. He predicted the Portuguese forward would score two goals to silence the critics.

"Ronaldo will easily score a brace, and then he will tell the critics to be quiet," the former footballer said.

Cristiano Ronaldo remains one of the key leaders of the Portugal national team. Therefore, Uzbekistan defenders must not leave the experienced striker unmarked for a single moment, especially inside the penalty area.

However, the "White Wolves" will take the field intending to put up a worthy fight against the star-studded opponent and achieve their first positive result at the World Cup.

The match between Portugal and Uzbekistan takes place today, June 23. The game is scheduled to start at 22:00 Tashkent time.

Main attention in the match will be focused on Ronaldo's movements, the discipline of the Uzbekistan defense, and the struggle of both teams for victory.