2026 FIFA WC: Records are nice, goal is to help team achieve its objectives, says Ronaldo

Houston, June 24 (IANS) After a record-breaking outing in which he scored two goals in the 5-0 rout of Uzbekistan in the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Houston, Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo said what mattered more to him was that the team achieved its objectives.”

Ronaldo scored in the 6th and 39th minutes and set several FIFA World Cup records, and got Portugal’s campaign up and running.

After the match, he said, “I’m very happy. But for me, the most important thing is our work and the confidence we showed. The team performed really well and improved a lot. 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,” he added.

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez was very satisfied with the manner in which his players responded after their disappointing 1-1 draw with Congo DR in their opening match.

“This was the response we had in the dressing room. There are times when you need a game like the first one 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. I’m very pleased with the result,” said Martinez.

It was Ronaldo who started Portugal’s response on Tuesday.

After seeing the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland hit the headlines at the FIFA World Cup 2026, Ronaldo had to respond, and the Portugal legend reached lift-off in Houston in fine fashion.

Playing in his sixth World Cup finals, the 41-year-old got the ball up and running against Uzbekistan with a brilliant close-range effort following Joao Cancelo’s cross.

It was a history-making goal — Ronaldo became the first player to score in six World Cups, and he also became the second-oldest scorer in tournament history behind Cameroon’s Roger Milla. The relief on Ronaldo’s face after he struggled in the opener against Congo DR was palpable.

Inspired, the veteran netted his second with a well-taken strike into the corner just before half-time for his 10th World Cup goal to become Portugal’s leading scorer in the global finals, ahead of the legendary Eusebio with nine.

In between, Ronaldo played a role in Portugal’s second goal, acting as a clever decoy for Nuno Mendes’s brilliant first-half free-kick. A fourth came via an Uzbekistan own goal midway through the second half, with Rafa Leao putting the icing on the cake in the 87th minute.

Having got their first World Cup goal against Colombia, Uzbekistan thought they found the scoresheet again with a stunning effort from distance from Azizjon Ganiev. The goal was ruled out for a foul, however. The debutants’ campaign hangs in the balance.

–IANS

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