HOUSTON (AP) — As the final whistle rang, Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a simple but powerful message. Portugal’s great victory in world cup on tuesday.
“I’m back,” he said directly into the TV camera. “i’m back.”
Ronaldo silenced his critics with an unforgettable performance, scoring twice in Portugal’s 5-0 win over Uzbekistan, becoming the first player to score in six different World Cup competitions. The team drew 1-1 with Congo in the opening game..
Criticism is nothing new for the 41-year-old superstar, but he admitted the intense negativity directed at him this week was tough.
“But it always is,” he said in Portuguese. “It doesn’t matter, because I’ve been in this job for 23 years and when things are going well it’s ‘Cristiano is good’ but when things are not going well it’s ‘Cristiano is a retired player and he’s old’. That’s always going to be the case. But today both myself and my teammates responded well and that’s what we wanted. ”
Ronaldo made it 1-0 in the 6th minute with his right-footed shot after a cross from Joao Cancelo. He ran to the bench and celebrated with his teammates.
In the 39th minute, he received a pass from Bruno Fernandes and hit the near post with his right foot to score another goal, making it 3-0.
“As a defender, you have to be ready and you have to get close to him in the box,” said Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro, who was a standout defender during his playing days and led Italy to victory at the 2006 World Cup. “If you get even one centimeter inside the box, you’re dead.”
Ronaldo was named Man of the Match for his outstanding performance, the latest in his impressive career.
Portugal coach Roberto Martínez praised Ronaldo’s professionalism and composure this week, despite calls from outsiders for him to be included on the bench.
“He’s a human being,” Martinez said. “He’s allowed to have feelings. He’s allowed to have feelings. What impresses him is the answer. No matter what he feels, the answer is to get back on the training field and practice, work hard and demand of himself. It’s that professionalism that has led to his longevity.”
Tuesday’s goal made him the second-oldest player to score in a World Cup, after Cameroon forward Roger Milla. He was 42 years old when he scored in the 1994 U.S. tournament.
Ronaldo and Argentina captain Lionel Messi became the only male players in history to play in six World Cups this year. Ronaldo’s scoring streak began with his debut in 2006 and has also netted in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022.
Although he shares the record with Messi in most competitions, he stands alone in terms of scoring goals in each competition after Messi failed to score at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Ronaldo scored two goals against Uzbekistan, taking his total to 10 goals in the tournament. Messi has 18 After scoring a hat trick Argentina vs Algeria opening match Two more goals on Monday Austria match This made him the highest scorer in the history of the tournament.
Ronaldo’s recent performances have taken him to 145 international goals, extending his record and taking his total to 10 in the World Cup, overtaking Eusebio’s nine and becoming Portugal’s all-time top scorer in the tournament.
Tuesday’s game will be Ronaldo’s 230th international appearance, the most ever.
This is likely to be the last World Cup for Ronaldo, who won the European Championship with Portugal in 2016 and won five Champions Leagues with Manchester United and Real Madrid.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup
