Cristiano Ronaldo becomes first player to score in six World Cups, nets twice against Uzbekistan

Jun 17, 2026

Cristiano Ronaldo makes history as the first player to score in six World Cups, netting twice in Portugal's 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan on June 23, 2026. The 41-year-old's performance silences critics following a 1-1 draw with DR Congo. Meanwhile, his long-time rival Lionel Messi breaks the all-time World Cup scoring record with 18 career goals, highlighting the enduring dominance of both aging superstars as global fans flock to Texas to witness their final campaigns.

Ronaldo two-goal performance Uzbekistan

▪Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal in the sixth minute off a right-footed shot from a João Cancelo cross.
▪Nuno Mendes scored a free-kick goal for Portugal after Cristiano Ronaldo elected to let Mendes take the shot to trick the goalkeeper.
▪Cristiano Ronaldo scored his second goal of the match in the 39th minute following a pass from Bruno Fernandes.
▪Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in Portugal's 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan at Houston Stadium on June 23, 2026.

Messi record-breaking World Cup goals

▪Lionel Messi missed a penalty kick against Austria before scoring his record-breaking goal in the 38th minute.
▪Lionel Messi has scored 18 total World Cup goals in his career, with 12 of those goals coming in his last nine World Cup matches.
▪Lionel Messi broke Miroslav Klose's all-time World Cup goals record by scoring twice against Austria in Arlington on June 22, 2026.

Ronaldo-Messi rivalry comparisons

▪Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 10 total World Cup goals in his career, compared to Lionel Messi's 18 World Cup goals.
▪Cristiano Ronaldo shut down a reporter and refused to answer a question comparing him to Lionel Messi during a post-match press conference on June 23, 2026.
▪Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are the only two male players in football history to have played in six World Cup tournaments.

Aging superstars World Cup campaigns

▪Prior to his goals against Uzbekistan, Cristiano Ronaldo had gone 10 consecutive matches without scoring in a major international tournament for Portugal.
▪At age 41, Cristiano Ronaldo is the oldest non-goalkeeper to start a World Cup game and the second-oldest player to score in the tournament.
▪Lionel Messi, at age 39, has an average walking-pace speed of 4.72 kilometers per hour over Argentina's first two games of the 2026 World Cup.

Global fan pilgrimage culture

▪Fans Gokul Sharavanan and Dharshanth Devendran paid approximately $600 each via FIFA's resale platform to attend both Messi's match in Arlington and Ronaldo's match in Houston.
▪Fans from around the world traveled to Arlington and Houston wearing Lionel Messi's number 10 and Cristiano Ronaldo's number 7 jerseys.

Legacy debate performance scrutiny

▪Fans and media questioned Cristiano Ronaldo's starting role and striking prowess following Portugal's 1-1 opening draw against the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
▪Portugal head coach Roberto Martínez defended Cristiano Ronaldo's role, stating that Ronaldo opens up more defensive spaces than any other player.