Cristiano Ronaldo heard all the critics.
The Portugal icon found the net twice in the first half of his team's 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan on Tuesday, becoming the first man to score in six different World Cups.
In the process, Ronaldo snapped a 10-game goalless drought at major international tournaments that dated back to the 2022 World Cup.
For viewers in United States only:
CRISTIANO RONALDO FIRST GOAL OF THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP! 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/7XxPQTNjvk
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 23, 2026
For viewers in Canada only:
CRISTIANO RONALDO HAS SCORED AT HIS SIXTH WORLD CUP!
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 23, 2026
Ronaldo becomes the first man in history to score in six World Cups and it puts Portugal in the lead! pic.twitter.com/Z5MSx9Ux1n
His second goal of the day, scored in the 39th minute, made him Portugal's all-time leader in World Cup goals with 10, surpassing football icon Eusebio.
Ronaldo, 41, made his World Cup debut in 2006.
He's the second-oldest player to ever score at the World Cup, behind only Roger Milla. The Cameroon great was 42 when he found the net at the 1994 tournament that was also held in the United States.
Ronaldo's goals versus Uzbekistan came after a listless 2026 World Cup opener for Portugal and its captain, who drew 1-1 with DR Congo.
There were calls to drop him from the lineup after that performance - Ronaldo had only 25 total touches in the match - but Roberto Martinez's decision to stick with the veteran superstar paid immediate dividends in Houston.
"God helps those who work hard. I knew my teammates would help out too," Ronaldo said after the game, according to ESPN. "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."
He continued: "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. 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."
Ronaldo is one of two men to play in six different World Cups along with eternal rival Lionel Messi. The Argentine, who scored two more times Monday, is the all-time World Cup leader with 18 goals.
Should Portugal advance beyond the group stage, Ronaldo will be seeking his first-ever goal in the World Cup knockout rounds.
