Portugal are 3-0 up against Uzbekistan in the FIFA 2026 World Cup match today, and Cristiano Ronaldo has scored a brace for his team.
Ronaldo opened the scoring for Portugal in the sixth minute, after converting an outstanding cross from Joao Cancelo.
Nuno Mendes doubled Portugal’s advantage with a well-taken free kick, and now Ronaldo has scored his second goal of the game with a well-placed finish after being sent through on goal by Bruno Fernandes in the 39th minute of the game.
Ronaldo has had much more service than in the game against Congo, and the 41-year-old has delivered with his sharp finishing.
Portugal have been completely dominant in the first half so far, and they will be delighted with the 3-0 advantage.
They have been in control of the game in the middle of the park, and they will be hoping to create more chances as the game progresses. This is a good opportunity for Roberto Martinez’s men to build some confidence and increase their chances of progressing through to the next round with a convincing result.
Portugal has taken the lead against Uzbekistan in the FIFA World Cup 2026, and Cristiano Ronaldo has opened his account.
Ronaldo scored the opening goal of the game in the sixth minute, as he turned a cross from Joao Cancelo into the back of the net after an intelligent run to beat his man in the near post.
Ronaldo has now become the first player to score in six World Cup editions.
After intense criticism against DR Congo, the Portuguese superstar will be relieved to have found the back of the net here. It will certainly give him a lot of confidence for the remainder of the tournament.
GOAL!@Cristiano opens the scoring in Houston and becomes the first player ever to score in six different @FIFAWorldCup tournaments
Portugal have been quite impressive in the first half against Uzbekistan, and it remains to be seen whether they can capitalise on their dominance and score more goals in the game. After the draw against Congo in the first game, they are under pressure to pick up a positive result in the remaining group games.
Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry criticised Cristiano Ronaldo for seeming more focused on getting goals for himself than for his team as Portugal drew with DR Congo yesterday.
The 41-year-old is still going strong despite his age, with his performances with Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League getting him close to a remarkable 1000 career goals.
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As well as missing some chances, it also seemed like Ronaldo was getting in the way of his teammates due to a strong desire to be on the scoresheet himself, as highlighted by Henry in the video clip below…
Really good analysis from Henry. This is the Ronaldo issue right now.
He's playing as a 9, but he's never been a 9 and he's not acting as a 9. Not giving Portugal those traits and it hurt them today. pic.twitter.com/yjSaOK2J5J
“One thing that’s important … the team needs to score, not you need to score,” Henry said.
“Cristiano Ronaldo has been in this situation multiple times – if you make the run here then you make the defender take a decision, but because he wants to score he goes into the path of Bruno Fernandes.”
Henry added that if Ronaldo had instead made the run into the six yard box, the defender would have had to follow him, leaving space for Fernandes.
The Frenchman even said you could see the frustrated reaction of his teammates.
Cristiano Ronaldo struggles as Lionel Messi shines at World Cup
It’s just one game, but you just know there are going to be the usual big debates about Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, with the latter making a dream start to the World Cup.
This year will surely be Ronaldo’s last chance to do so, but at the moment there are surely serious questions about if he should even be starting games for his country anymore.
Messi, meanwhile, looks like he’s still good enough to guide Argentina to glory again.
Portuqaliya millisinin hücumçusu Kristiano Ronaldo DÇ-2026-da Konqo DR ilə oyunda meydana çıxmaqla daha bir neçə rekorda imza atıb.
Arena.az xəbər verir ki, mundialın qrup mərhələsinin ilk turunun bu görüşündə qalib müəyyənləşməyib – 1:1.
Ronaldo start heyətində meydana çıxmaqla futbol tarixinə daha bir neçə rekord əlavə edib. Portuqal ulduz ilk növbədə, dünya çempionatlarının final mərhələsində iştirak edən futbolçular arasında xüsusi bir göstəriciyə nail olub. O, karyerasında altıncı dünya çempionatında meydana çıxaraq bu göstəricidə yalnız Lionel Messi ilə eyni səviyyəyə yüksəlib. Beləliklə, Ronaldo və Messi dünya çempionatlarının altı final mərhələsində iştirak edən yeganə futbolçular olublar.
Konqo DR ilə qarşılaşma Ronaldonun dünya çempionatlarındakı 23-cü oyunu kimi tarixə düşüb. Bu göstərici ilə o, əfsanəvi italiyalı müdafiəçi Paolo Maldini ilə bərabərləşərək turnir tarixində ən çox oyun keçirən futbolçular siyahısında dördüncü pilləyə yüksəlib. Ondan yuxarıda yalnız Messi (27 oyun), Lotar Matteus (25 oyun) və Miroslav Kloze (24 oyun) qərarlaşıblar.
41 yaşlı portuqaliyalı daha bir mühüm nailiyyətə imza atıb. O, dünya çempionatlarında meydana çıxan ən yaşlı avropalı futbolçu olub. Bununla da Ronaldo 1986-cı ildə son dünya çempionatı oyununu 41 yaşında keçirmiş Şimali İrlandiya yığmasının sabiq qapıçısı Pat Jenninqsin rekordunu geridə qoyub.
Bununla yanaşı, Ronaldo dünya çempionatları tarixində start heyətində meydana çıxan ən yaşlı meydan oyunçusu rekordunu da yeniləyib. Qarşılaşma zamanı onun yaşı 41 il 132 gün idi. Bu göstəricidə onu yalnız 2018-ci il mundialında 45 yaş 161 günündə start heyətində meydana çıxmış misirli qapıçı Essam El-Hadari qabaqlayır.
Xatırladaq ki, 41 yaşlı Ronaldo karyerası ərzində:
5 dəfə UEFA Çempionlar Liqasının qalibi olub; Avropa çempionu adını qazanıb; 2 dəfə UEFA Millətlər Liqasını qazanıb; Milli komandalar tarixinin ən məhsuldar bombardiridir; Avropa çempionatları, UEFA Çempionlar Liqası və klublararası dünya çempionatlarının qol rekordlarına sahibdir; 5 dəfə “Qızıl top” mükafatını qazanıb.
Hazırda Səudiyyə Ərəbistanının “Əl-Nəsr” klubunda çıxış edən Ronaldo karyerası ərzində “Sportinq”, “Mançester Yunayted”, “Yuventus” və “Real” kimi nəhəng klubların formasını geyinib.
Lionel Messi scored his 16th World Cup goal in some style as his hat-trick gave Argentina a 3-0 win over Algeria last night.
The 38-year-old is now level with legendary Germany striker Miroslav Klose as the World Cup’s all-time leading goal-scorer, and you’d very much assume he’s going to break that record as there will still be so many more opportunities to do so at this year’s tournament.
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Watch below as Messi scored in typical Messi style to seal his hat-trick and his place in the World Cup history books in a dream start to this year’s competition for holders Argentina…
Messi, playing at his sixth World Cup, is now on a record-equalling 16 goals in the tournament, and you have to wonder if this might even go a step further to settling the GOAT (greatest of all time) debate between himself and Cristiano Ronaldo.
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Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo at the World Cup
The Messi-Ronaldo debate has gone on for much of the last decade or more now, but the fact that Messi won the 2022 World Cup, scoring twice in that final victory over France, will have been decisive for some.
The fact that Messi is now also joint top as the all-time record scorer at the World Cup, scoring double the amount that his Portuguese nemesis has at this level, is another big argument in his favour.
World Cup top scorers
Goals
Games
Lionel Messi
16
27
Miroslav Klose
16
24
Ronaldo
15
19
Gerd Muller
14
13
Kylian Mbappe
14
15
Just Fontaine
13
6
Pele
12
14
Ronaldo, of course, is still playing at this year’s World Cup, so can do his best to catch up with Messi, but it’s hard to imagine he stands much of a chance of meaningfully catching up.
Mbappe won the top scorer prize at the 2022 World Cup, scoring eight times, including a hat-trick in France’s final defeat to Argentina.
Four years before that, Kane was the winner as he scored six goals, but could we still see veterans like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in contention?
See below for a list of the top ten contenders for the World Cup Golden Boot as the bookies have picked the most likely candidates, with some money to be made if you use a Fanduel promo code…
Kylian Mbappe – 6/1
Mbappe had another prolific season with Real Madrid, even if his goals didn’t help his club to glory. Playing alongside such a world class pool of talents in this France squad, though, it’s hard not to see Mbappe getting a very good opportunity to both win the World Cup and the Golden Boot this summer.
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Harry Kane – 7/1
A lethal striker showing no sign of slowing down with age, Kane is probably England’s most important player, so seems a decent shout for the Golden Boot, even if Thomas Tuchel’s squad as a whole is arguably not looking quite as strong as recent tournaments.
Mikel Oyarzabal – 10/1
Not the biggest name or best striker on this list, but Mikel Oyarzabal has shown he can do the job up front for Spain, who will be seen as another of the favourites to win the tournament this summer.
Erling Haaland 16/1
Norway will be an interesting dark horse to watch this summer, precisely because of the threat of Erling Haaland up front. The Manchester City striker had a prolific qualifying campaign, scoring a remarkable 16 goals, and finding the back of the net in every game on their way to the World Cup. Surely decent odds for the Golden Boot?
Lionel Messi – 16/1
Not the goal machine he once was, but underestimate Lionel Messi at your peril.
Cristiano Ronaldo – 20/1
Now 41 years of age, Cristiano Ronaldo will be like a man possessed at what will surely be his last chance to win the World Cup, so could that see him really step up and scoop the top scorer prize?
Julian Alvarez – 20/1
Aside from Messi, Julian Alvarez could be the main goal threat to watch out for in this Argentina squad after two prolific seasons with Atletico Madrid.
Not exactly an out-and-out striker, but Kai Havertz is Mr Reliable for both Arsenal and Germany, plus he missed so much of the season just gone due to injury that he’s actually had more rest than most of the other players at this tournament.
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Lamine Yamal – 25/1
The undisputed gem in this Spain side, could we about to see Lamine Yamal enjoy a memorable first World Cup? He’s more of a creator than a goal-scorer, but these look like tempting odds.
Raphinha – 28/1
Finally, one of the most prolific goal-scoring wingers in the game right now, Raphinha will surely be one to watch if Brazil have a good tournament.
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Portugal 3-0 Uzbekistan
