Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal thrashed Uzbekistan 5-0 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 24, securing their first victory of the group stage while extending his remarkable record of scoring in six consecutive World Cups.
The 41-year-old forward also surpassed Portuguese football legend Eusébio to become Portugal's all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 10 goals.
Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone after the match, Ronaldo said he was pleased with the result but stressed that the team's performance was what mattered most.
"The team performed really well and improved a lot," he said. "As the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining. Obviously, speaking personally, records are always nice but my goal is always to help the national team achieve its objectives."
"We received a lot of criticism over the past week. We knew that was going to happen, but the team trained well and improved a lot. Sometimes bad things can also bring good results," he said.
Reflecting on his achievement, Ronaldo credited persistence and determination for helping him overcome a difficult period.
"God helps those who work hard. I knew my teammates would help out too," he said.
"It was a difficult week, a dark week. It felt like I'd retired from soccer. But I hung in there, as I always do, because I believe in hard work more than anything else."
The post-match interview also featured a brief awkward moment. After one reporter remarked that Lionel Messi had scored two goals the previous day, Ronaldo immediately turned to another journalist and said: "Next question."
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