Portugal striker and one of the greatest footballers of this century, Cristiano Ronaldo opened his goal tally in the FIFA World Cup 2026 as he scored two against Uzbekistan. After scoring, he emphatically claimed that, “I’m back!”
Portugal took on Uzbekistan in their second match of Group k in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The competition is being played in the United States, Canada, and Mexico This particular match was played in the Houston Stadium (aka NRG Stadium).
The Portuguese team got off to a poor start to this World Cup, drawing 1-1 against DR Congo in their opening game. In that match, the former European champions looked toothless, with their big stars failing to fire. Ronaldo himself looked out of his element, despite appearing in his sixth World Cup.
Naturally the Al-Nassr star faced a lot of criticism following an underwhelming performance.Many fans and critics suggested that the all-time great might be over the hill and no longer the amazing striker he was in his hay-day.
This criticism was compounded by the fact that, on the other hand, Ronaldo’s long-time rival Lionel Messi was the star of Argentina’s first game in this competition, scoring his first World Cup hat-trick against Iraq. And while Messi looked like he could still hang with some of the best players in the world at the age of 39, many believed that was no longer the case for Cristiano at the age of 40..
But then came Portugal’s game against Uzbekistan. And after a week of being derided by the football world, Cristiano Ronaldo answered back in style. In just the sixth minute of the match, he fired the ball into the back of the net to score his first goal in the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Then, in the 17th minute, Portugal took a free-kick from the edge of the Uzbek box. Ronaldo caused a distraction, as the opposition believed that he would be taking the kick. But instead, Nuno Mendes slid the ball into the goal, making the score 2-0.
CR7 scored his second goal in the 3th minute of the game, and came very close to making it a hat-trick in the first half.Portugal ended up winning this match 5-0.
Cristiano Ronaldo Fires Back At Critics After Scoring
After scoring the second goal and doing his iconic “Suiii” celebration for the second time in this game, Ronaldo looked towards the fans and cameras and was seen mouthing the words, ‘I’m back.”
It looked like a proclamation from the all-time great striker, promising to his fans that not only can he still hang with the best, but will keep performing well in this World Cup.
Following the game, the 40-year-old was asked about his words during the game, and what they meant. Ronaldo did not give a long-winded reply, instead, he just said, “yeah, just so they don’t forget.”
When asked whether that was the best response he could give to his critics, Cristiano replied, “Always, 23 years it’s been like this.”
Portugal, under the leadership of Cristiano Ronaldo, will be looking to win the World Cup for the first time in the country’s history. With a win and a draw in two games, the Portuguese stand second in Group K. They will face Colombia in their third and final group match on Sunday, June 28. That match will decide who will top Group K.
Get the FIFA World Cup 2026 Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.
