Cristiano Ronaldo sets historic record: Portugal thrashes Uzbekistan

As part of the 2026 World Cup group stage, the Portugal national team faced Uzbekistan. Roberto Martinez's side secured a 5-0 victory, earning their first points of the tournament. Cristiano Ronaldo, the main protagonist of the match, not only scored a brace but also opened a new chapter in world football history. According to Goal.com reports.

Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring as early as the 6th minute. After a precise delivery from Joao Cancelo, the striker slotted the ball into the near corner, becoming the first male player in history to score in six different World Cups. Goal.com reports that this goal was a significant step for the Portuguese star in breaking tournament records.

The Portuguese scored their second goal in an unexpected manner. While Ronaldo was preparing to take a free kick, Nuno Mendes targeted the bottom corner to make it 2-0. The Uzbekistan national team almost responded with a long-range strike from Azizjon Ganiyev, but the VAR system overturned the goal, ruling a foul on Joao Cancelo at the start of the attack.

Dominance on the pitch and defensive errors

Portugal maintained the pressure throughout the rest of the match. Following a brilliant pass from Bruno Fernandes, Cristiano Ronaldo beat Abduvohid Neʼmatov for the second time to complete his brace. Although Uzbek defender Abduqodir Husanov blocked one of Ronaldo's attempts to complete a hat-trick, a subsequent corner kick deflected off him into his own net.

The final touch of the match came from substitute Rafael Leao, whose powerful strike into the top corner was the final goal of the game. Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Neʼmatov made several saves from Ronaldo's dangerous shots, preventing the scoreline from becoming even more lopsided.

This victory served as a form of rehabilitation for Portugal following their draw with DR Congo. For the Uzbekistan national team, this defeat complicates their situation in the group. Defender Abduqodir Husanov and goalkeeper Abduvohid Neʼmatov were forced to operate under immense pressure throughout the match.