'Felt like I'd retired!' - Cristiano Ronaldo opens up on 'dark week' & makes 'we're back' declaration after Portugal thrash Uzbekistan at 2026 World Cup

Ronaldo made history on Tuesday by becoming the first player to ever score in six different World Cup tournaments. The Al-Nassr superstar led the line for Portugal in their Group K clash against Uzbekistan, finding the back of the net twice in a comprehensive 5-0 victory that puts Roberto Martinez's side in a strong position to qualify for the knockout stages.

The 41-year-old opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a clinical near-post finish, ending a frustrating drought of 10 games without a goal in major international tournaments. He added a second before the interval, racing onto a through ball to make it 3-0 after Nuno Mendes had also got on the scoresheet. The double takes his career World Cup tally to 10 goals, ensuring he has found the net in every edition of the tournament since his debut in 2006.

The performance served as a perfect response to the criticism Ronaldo and his team-mates endured following a disappointing 1-1 draw with DR Congo. Many fans and pundits were left questioning whether the 41-year-old should still be leading the attack at this stage of his career.

"God helps those who work hard. I knew my team-mates would help out too," Ronaldo said after the Uzbekistan game. "It was a difficult week, a dark week. It felt like I'd retired from soccer. But I hung in there, as I always do, because I believe in hard work more than anything else. It was tough, I have to admit, but we're back."

Ronaldo is aware that he and Portugal are the target of criticism, especially when they get bad results. "We've improved; that's just how life is. We face setbacks during games and in life, but the main goal is always to improve," Ronaldo said. "And that's what we did. It was a very tough and difficult week, with public opinion being very harsh on all the players, especially on me and the coach.

"But I don't mind. I've been in this profession for 23 years now, and whenever things go well, Cristiano is doing great, but when they go badly, Cristiano is retired, he's too old. It will always be like that. But we responded well today. That's what we wanted. We played with a high line, and when we do that, it's hard to stop Portugal."

Portugal now sit on four points in Group K, positioning themselves well for knockout stage qualification. The focus shifts quickly to their final group fixture against Colombia in Miami this Saturday. After the big win, the atmosphere around the camp has shifted from one of doubt to one of renewed ambition as the Selecao look to secure the top spot in the group. Meanwhile for Uzbekistan, this defeat ended their hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup knockout stages. Uzbekistan will look to salvage some pride when they face DR Congo in their last game.