Cristiano Ronaldo emphasised that his primary focus remains on helping the Portuguese national team succeed, even after a record-breaking performance in Portugal's 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan in the FIFA World Cup 2026. The match, played on Tuesday at Houston Stadium, saw Ronaldo score a brace, becoming Portugal's all-time leading World Cup scorer with 10 goals and the first player to score in six different World Cup tournaments.
Portugal's dominant performance
Portugal's win was comprehensive, with goals from Nuno Mendes and Rafael Leao, and an own goal by Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov. The result was a strong response to Portugal's opening 1-1 draw against DR Congo, which had put the team under scrutiny. Coach Roberto Martinez praised the team's improved decision-making and finishing, stating that the disappointing opener helped the players display greater maturity and composure.
Ronaldo's record-breaking night
Ronaldo's brace lifted his World Cup tally to 10 goals, surpassing Eusebio's record of nine goals for Portugal. He also became the first player to score in six different World Cup tournaments. Despite these milestones, Ronaldo stressed that team objectives come first. "Records are always nice, but my goal is always to help the national team achieve its objectives," he said, as quoted by Reuters.
Team improvement and focus
Ronaldo noted significant progress from the opening match against DR Congo. "The team performed really well and improved a lot. As the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining," he added. The victory boosted Portugal's goal difference ahead of their final group fixture, putting their World Cup campaign back on track.
Coach Martinez on team growth
Coach Roberto Martinez highlighted the team's attitude and commitment. "This was the response we had in the dressing room. There are times when you need a game like the first one in order to grow in the tournament. Today we saw a team with the same attitude and commitment, but with greater maturity because it was no longer the opening match," Martinez said.
