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By Megan Armstrong
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Cristiano Ronaldo is still Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo and Portugal faced heavy backlash after opening their 2026 FIFA men's World Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against Congo DR on June 17. They fell so flat that Arsenal and French legend Thierry Henry called out Ronaldo, and several pundits suggested Ronaldo should be benched.
Portugal needed fewer than 45 minutes to reverse the narrative, as the Selecao das Quinas routed Uzbekistan 5-0 at NRG Stadium in Houston on Tuesday, June 23. Ronaldo came away with a brace — the first goal coming on a powerful finish off a cross in the sixth minute, and the second in the form of a through ball from Bruno Fernandes.
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Ronaldo's brilliance spoke for itself, so all that was left to say when the final whistle blew was, "I'm back! I'm back!"
Then, as soon as he got his phone, he posted a very concise message for his critics and fans alike on X: "ESTAMOS AQUI!"
That translates to, "We are here!"
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With his brace, Ronaldo snapped his drought of 10 major tournament matches without a goal, dating back to November 2022, and became the first man in history to score a goal in six different World Cups.
Ronaldo, aged 41 years and 138 days, also bested Argentine legend Lionel Messi, his rival, as the oldest player with a multi-game goal at a men's World Cup, per ESPN Insights. Messi held the record 24 hours ago when he notched a brace at 38 years, 363 days old. Messi and Ronaldo are the only men to ever appear in six World Cups.
But individual history is old hat for Ronaldo. Ronaldo led Portugal to the quarterfinals in 2022, but otherwise, Portugal have failed to advance beyond the Round of 16 since 1966, when they finished third.
This Portugal squad is widely regarded as the most talented of the Ronaldo era, so while the win over Uzbekistan was a great palette cleanser, they shouldn't be satisfied unless they contend to bring the Cup home for the first time. The one bit of history that has evaded Ronaldo.
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