FIFA World Cup 2026: Ronaldo posts "united" message after Portugal's 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan
Texas, June 25
Cristiano Ronaldo struck a unifying note with a post on Instagram saying, "United!" after his record-breaking brace inspired Portugal to a commanding 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan in their Group K FIFA World Cup 2026 clash on Tuesday, June 23 at Houston Stadium.
Ronaldo posted a picture of himself being embraced by his teammates on Instagram, accompanied by the caption, "United!".
Earlier also, Ronaldo, following his performance that earned him the Player of the Match award against Uzbekistan, shared multiple photographs on Instagram and captioned the post, "We are here!"
Ronaldo led Portugal's charge with two goals, while Nuno Mendes and Rafael Leao also found the net. An own goal involving Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov further compounded the misery for Fabio Cannavaro's side as Roberto Martinez's men secured their first win of the tournament in emphatic fashion.
Ronaldo's brace saw him reach historic milestones, becoming Portugal's all-time leading World Cup scorer with 10 goals and the first player to score in six different FIFA World Cup tournaments.
The result came as a strong response from Portugal after they were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their opening group-stage encounter in a performance that put Ronaldo's team under scrutiny. The victory helped Portugal get their World Cup campaign back on track and significantly boosted their goal difference ahead of the final group fixture.
The win also marked an important turnaround for Ronaldo following a difficult outing against DR Congo, where the veteran forward struggled to influence proceedings.
Coming to the match, Portugal produced a dominant all-round performance to defeat Uzbekistan, taking control early with Ronaldo opening the scoring in the 6th minute before Nuno Mendes added a stunning free-kick and Ronaldo struck again to make it 3-0 before half-time.
After the break, Uzbekistan rarely threatened, with Portugal continuing to dominate possession and extending their lead in the 60th minute through an own goal following a Joao Felix flick from a Bruno Fernandes corner. Substitute Rafael Leao added a fifth goal late on to complete a comprehensive 5-0 victory.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Respect for Ronaldo's longevity. At his age, still carrying the team on his shoulders. But honestly, Uzbekistan didn't put up much of a fight - let's see Portugal against a stronger side. That own goal must have been heartbreaking for their keeper. 😢
I'm not a huge football fan, but Ronaldo's passion is infectious. That "United!" caption after getting criticized for the DR Congo match shows true leadership. Meanwhile, our Indian cricket team could learn from this kind of response to pressure! 🇮🇳👍
Class performance from Portugal. Nuno Mendes' free kick was world-class 🔥. But let's be real - Ronaldo is taking all the credit while younger players like Leao and Felix are doing the hard work. Still, 10 WC goals is legendary stuff. Can't wait for India to reach this stage one day! 🇮🇳⚽
I'm a huge Messi fan, but have to admit Ronaldo is a machine. Scoring in six different World Cups is unreal consistency. Portugal's bench strength is impressive too. Would love to see a Portugal vs Brazil final - that would be epic! 🤩⚽
What a comeback after the disappointing draw against Congo! Martinez has sorted out the team's mentality. Uzbekistan's defense was poor though - they looked lost. Ronaldo's first goal was pure instinct. India needs more football infrastructure so our youngsters can dream of playing in World Cups one day. 🇮🇳⚽🙏
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