FIFA World Cup 2026: Record-breaking match for Ronaldo; Modric joins 200 club; England's unwanted record
Houston, June 24
The FIFA World Cup 2026 witnessed another action-packed day as Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a standout performance with a brace to guide his side to a commanding 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan, marking their first win of the tournament in dominant fashion.
In another Group clash, England were held to a goalless draw by Ghana, with Thomas Tuchel's side enduring a frustrating outing and dropping points in a match that also saw them register unwanted records.
Meanwhile, Croatia and Colombia wrapped up the matchday with narrow but important 1-0 wins over Panama and the DR Congo respectively, as the group-stage action continued to produce tight finishes and decisive moments across fixtures.
Portugal 5-0 Uzbekistan
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player in history to score in six different FIFA World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026), according to ESPN.
At 41 years and 138 days, Ronaldo also became the oldest player to score multiple goals in a World Cup match, surpassing the previous record set during this tournament by Lionel Messi. He further moved to the second spot among the oldest goalscorers in World Cup history, behind Cameroon's Roger Milla, who scored in 1994 at 42 years and 39 days.
Ronaldo also extended his list of World Cup achievements by overtaking Eusebio to become Portugal's all-time top scorer in the tournament, with 10 goals. He has now scored against 49 different international teams, taking his career tally to an extraordinary 145 goals in 230 appearances.
In another notable statistic, Ronaldo featured in his 24th World Cup match, with only Lionel Messi (28) and Lothar Matthaus (25) having played more in the competition's history.
The match also saw Nuno Mendes join a rare Portuguese list by scoring a direct free-kick at a World Cup, a feat previously achieved only by Ronaldo himself in 2018.
A unique record was also set as the match featured the largest age gap ever between two starting players in World Cup history--22 years and 183 days between Uzbekistan's Bekhruz Karimov and Ronaldo.
England 0-0 Ghana
England's 12-match winning streak in competitive football came to an end, marking the first time they failed to register a victory since October 2024 against Greece, according to ESPN.
Ghana, meanwhile, avoided defeat in their opening two matches at a FIFA World Cup for only the second time since 2010, when they went on to reach the quarterfinals.
Despite dominating possession, England recorded 79% possession against Ghana, the highest by any team that failed to score in a match in the last 60 years at the FIFA World Cup.
Ghana managed just 2 shots, which is the joint-lowest by any team in a game at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while also marking the fewest England have conceded in a World Cup match in the last 60 years.
The match also saw England register their thirteenth scoreless draw at the FIFA World Cup, the most by any team in history, with Brazil next on the list with 9.
England extended their unbeaten run against African teams at the FIFA World Cup to 9 matches.
Jude Bellingham reached a personal milestone by making his 50th appearance for England, becoming the youngest Englishman to reach this landmark at 22 years and 359 days.
England also produced a passing masterclass, completing 93% of their passes, their joint-highest in a World Cup match since 1966, while registering 430 passes in the opposition half, their most in a World Cup game since 1966.
Defender Marc Guehi stood out statistically as well, completing 125 passes, the highest by an England player on record since 1966 in a FIFA World Cup match.
Panama 0 - 1 Croatia
Luka Modric has reached a major international milestone by making his 200th appearance for Croatia, becoming only the fourth male footballer in history to achieve this feat. He now joins an elite group featuring Cristiano Ronaldo (230), Bader Ahmed Al-Mutawa (202), and Lionel Messi (201) in international football appearances, according to ESPN.
Panama, meanwhile, continues to struggle at the World Cup, having now lost all five of their matches in the competition while scoring just two goals. Only El Salvador holds a worse record, with six defeats from six games in World Cup history.
Modric also delivered a composed midfield display against Panama, registering an 88% passing accuracy (69/78). Notably, he has now completed at least 80% of his passes in all 19 of his FIFA World Cup starts, underlining his consistency at the highest level.
In addition, Ante Budimir made history by becoming the oldest player to score for Croatia at a FIFA World Cup, aged 34 years and 336 days.
Colombia 1 - 0 DR Congo
Daniel Munoz has become only the third Colombian male player to score in each of the team's first two matches at a FIFA World Cup, following Adolfo Valencia in 1994 and James Rodriguez in 2014. He also joined Yerry Mina as one of only two Colombian defenders to score more than once at the World Cup, with Mina previously netting three times in 2018, according to ESPN.
Luis Diaz endured a frustrating outing in front of goal, becoming the first player to be caught offside five times in a single World Cup match since Robin van Persie, who was flagged six times against Costa Rica in 2014.
James Rodriguez once again played a key creative role, becoming the first Colombian player to create five chances in a World Cup match since Carlos Valderrama achieved the feat against England in 1998.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Ghana holding England to a draw is no small feat! 🏆 Our African brothers showing their mettle. Meanwhile, Modric joining the 200 club is just mind-blowing. Croatia is such a small country but produces world-class players consistently. India's football development needs that same passion from grassroots level.
Honestly, England's 13th goalless draw is quite embarrassing for a top-tier team. All that possession and passing doesn't win you matches without goals. Reminds me of how India plays sometimes - lots of sideways passing but no cutting edge. Tuchel needs to sort out the attack quickly. And Ronaldo? Legendary, nothing more to add! 🇮🇳⚽
Great to see Colombia getting back to winning ways. James Rodriguez still pulling strings at this level is incredible. But that Luis Diaz stat with 5 offsides is worrying - he needs to time his runs better. The World Cup is always special, and these group stages are showing some serious drama!
The age gap record between Karimov and Ronaldo is hilarious - 22 years! Imagine playing against someone who could be your father 😂. But on a serious note, Modric's achievement of 200 caps is something else. Croatia should be so proud. And England fans must be frustrated - all those stats mean nothing without goals. India ka World Cup dreams seem far away but these matches keep the passion alive!
Ronaldo scoring in 6 World Cups is just surreal. But let's be honest - while
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