June 23, Kathmandu – Cristiano Ronaldo’s record-breaking goals helped Portugal claim their first victory in the FIFA World Cup 2026, strengthening their chances of advancing to the knockout stage.
In a Group G match held in Houston, USA, Portugal defeated Uzbekistan 5-0, a team making their World Cup debut, with Ronaldo scoring twice.
Portugal’s Nuno Mendes and Rafael Leão also netted one goal each, and an own goal from the opposing team added to Portugal’s tally.
After their first win in Group G, Portugal has accumulated 4 points from 2 matches, leading the group and boosting their prospects of progressing.
Portugal had drawn 1-1 with DR Congo in their opening match. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan faces elimination after consecutive losses. Should DR Congo defeat Colombia in their next game, Uzbekistan will be confirmed eliminated before their final group match.
Portugal’s final group game is scheduled against Colombia on June 27, following Colombia’s second game against DR Congo on Wednesday morning.
Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 6th minute, becoming the first player to score in six consecutive World Cups and putting Portugal ahead early.
Having failed to score against DR Congo in the first match, Ronaldo made a significant impact against Uzbekistan by scoring early, ensuring his unique record across six World Cups from 2006 to 2026.
Ronaldo has scored in every World Cup he has played since his debut in 2006.
Following his goal, Portugal applied sustained pressure on Uzbekistan. As a result, Nuno Mendes doubled the lead with a free-kick goal in the 17th minute.
Ronaldo added his second goal of the match in the 39th minute, giving Portugal a comfortable 3-0 lead by halftime.
With two goals in the first half, Ronaldo also surpassed Eusébio’s record to become Portugal’s all-time top World Cup scorer, with 10 goals compared to Eusébio’s 9.
This marks the second time Ronaldo has scored multiple goals in a single World Cup edition.
Ronaldo scored 1 goal during his debut in 2006, and added one goal each in 2010 and 2014. In 2018, he notably scored four goals including a hat-trick against Spain. He scored once in 2022 and has already scored once in this tournament.
He also became the second oldest player to score in a World Cup, netting against Uzbekistan at 41 years and 138 days old. The record for the oldest scorer remains with Cameroon’s Roger Milla, who scored against Russia in the 1994 World Cup at 42 years and 39 days old.
Building on their three-goal lead by halftime, Portugal benefited from an own goal in the second half.
Uzbekistan’s Abdubokhid Nematov, who plays for Manchester City, inadvertently scored an own goal in the 60th minute while attempting to clear the ball, extending Portugal’s lead to 4-0.
Portugal kept their momentum, with substitute Rafael Leão scoring in the 87th minute.
The next Group G match between Colombia and DR Congo is scheduled for Wednesday morning, kicking off at 7:45 AM.
