HOUSTON (AP) 鈥� Cristiano Ronaldo had a simple but strong message as the final whistle sounded after at the on Tuesday.
鈥淚鈥檓 back,鈥� he said directly into the television camera. 鈥淚鈥檓 back.鈥�
Ronaldo became the first player to score in six different World Cup tournaments by getting two goals in Portugal鈥檚 5-0 win over Uzbekistan, quieting critics after his forgettable performance .
Even though criticism isn’t anything new to the 41-year-old superstar, he admitted that the intense negativity directed toward him this week was difficult.
鈥淏ut it鈥檚 always like that,鈥� he said in Portuguese. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter, because it鈥檚 been 23 years on the job and when things go well, 鈥機ristiano is good,’ when things go bad, 鈥楥ristiano is a retired player, is old.’ It will always be like that. But we responded well today, me and my teammates, which is what we wanted.鈥�
Ronaldo made history in the sixth minute when Jo茫o Cancelo crossed the ball to him and he shot with his right foot to make it 1-0. He ran toward the bench and celebrated with his teammates.
He added another in the 39th minute when he got a pass from Bruno Fernandes and scored with his right foot just inside the near post to make it 3-0.
鈥淎s a defender you need to be ready and you need to be close to him in the box,鈥� said Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro, a standout defender in his playing days who led Italy to the 2006 World Cup title. 鈥淚f you give him one centimeter in the box you are dead.鈥�
Ronaldo was named man of the match for his performance, the latest of many in his incredible career.
Portugal coach Roberto Mart铆nez raved about the professionalism and poise Ronaldo showed this week amid calls from outsiders to bench him.
鈥淗e’s a human being,” Mart铆nez said. 鈥淗e’s allowed to have emotions. He’s allowed to have feelings. What is impressive with him is the answer. Whatever he feels, the answer is to get back on the training ground and practice and work and demand from himself. That professionalism is what’s (led) to the longevity.鈥�
The goals on Tuesday make him the second-oldest player to score at a World Cup behind Cameroon forward Roger Milla, who was 42 when he scored at the 1994 tournament in the United States.
Ronaldo and Argentina captain Lionel Messi became the only men in history to play in six World Cup tournaments this year. Ronaldo鈥檚 scoring streak started in his debut in 2006 and he also netted goals in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022.
While he shares the record for most tournaments with Messi, he stands alone in scoring a goal in each edition after Messi failed to score at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Ronaldo鈥檚 two strikes against Uzbekistan gave him 10 career goals in the tournament. after a hat trick in and two more goals Monday that made him the all-time leading scorer in tournament history.
Ronaldo’s latest performance extended his record by giving him 145 international goals, and his 10 career goals in the World Cup moved him past Eus茅bio’s nine to make him Portugal’s all-time scoring leader at the tournament.
Tuesday’s game was the 230th of Ronaldo鈥檚 international career, which is the most in history.
This is likely to be the final World Cup for Ronaldo, who won the European Championship with Portugal in 2016 and the Champions League five times with Manchester United and Real Madrid.
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