Ronaldo makes World Cup history as Portugal cruise past Uzbekistan

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo etched his name deeper into football history on Tuesday after becoming the first men’s player to score in six different FIFA World Cup tournaments.

The 41-year-old forward achieved the milestone during Portugal’s Group K clash against Uzbekistan, finding the net in the sixth minute after connecting with a cross from João Cancelo at Houston’s NRG Stadium.

Ronaldo added a second goal in the 39th minute as Portugal secured a convincing victory, bouncing back from their disappointing 1-1 draw against Democratic Republic of the Congo in their previous group match.

The goals extended Ronaldo’s remarkable international tally to 144 goals and marked his ninth World Cup goal since making his tournament debut in Germany in 2006.

With the strike against Uzbekistan, Ronaldo became the first player to score in six different World Cup editions — 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026 — further cementing his status as one of the sport’s greatest players.

The Portuguese star also moved into second place on the list of oldest goalscorers in World Cup history at 41 years and 138 days. Only Roger Milla, who scored for Cameroon at the 1994 World Cup at the age of 42 years and 39 days, remains ahead of him.

Portugal’s dominant display also saw goals from Nuno Mendes and Rafael Leão, while Uzbekistan conceded an own goal as Roberto Martínez’s side strengthened its position in Group K.

A five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Ronaldo is seeking to crown his illustrious career with a first FIFA World Cup title. The veteran forward already boasts a UEFA European Championship winner’s medal after leading Portugal to glory at Euro 2016 and will hope to add football’s most prestigious trophy to his collection in the United States, Canada and Mexico.