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Cristiano Ronaldo’s international drought ended in style Tuesday afternoon in Houston, as he scored twice in a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan.
The legendary Portuguese striker was in good spirits throughout the match, but a question he received during his post-match interview irked him.
And that implied a comparison with Argentina’s Lionel Messi.
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Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after the first half during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group K match between Portugal and Uzbekistan at Houston Stadium in Houston, Texas on June 23, 2026. (Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images)
Ronaldo was on the podium for his questions with journalists, when one of them started talking about Messi. Ronaldo quickly turned away and asked another reporter, “Go ahead,” clearly not wanting to talk about anything related to the man he has been compared to throughout his career.
Tense and awkward would certainly be one way to describe the moment, and the other journalists got the memo as no further questions about Messi were asked during Ronaldo’s session.
LIONEL MESSI’S GREATNESS SHINES WITH HAT TICK IN WORLD CUP AGAINST ALGERIA
Before scoring in the sixth minute against Uzbekistan, five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo went 10 matches without scoring a goal in a major international tournament for his country. That was back in November 2022, and things only got worse after a poor performance in the 1-1 draw against DR Congo in Portugal’s first World Cup match.
Meanwhile, Messi made World Cup history in his final match, breaking Miroslav Klose’s all-time goalscoring record after scoring two more in this tournament. Messi already has five goals in two matches, scoring a hat-trick in Argentina’s opening win against Algeria before facing Austria.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi pose during the official 2026 FIFA World Cup portrait sessions in Kansas City and Palm Beach, Florida, ahead of their final World Cup appearances. (Pat Elmont and Karl Bridgeman/FIFA)
Messi now has 18 World Cup goals in total during his illustrious career, while Ronaldo has 10. However, they are both the only men in history to have played in six World Cups.
It may have been a slower start to this tournament for Ronaldo, but like the other superstars who have been on full display – France’s Kylian Mbappe is closing in on Messi’s goalscoring record, while Erling Haaland can’t stop scoring for Norway – he knew he would show up sooner or later.
“Sooner or later I will be there. It’s about continuing the work,” Ronaldo told reporters, according to ESPN. “I sincerely believe that God helps those who work hard. It has always been like this in my career, nothing is going to change. I am very happy.”
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo leaves the field after the first half during the World Cup Group K match between Portugal and Congo in Houston on June 17, 2026. (Karen Warren/AP)
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Ronaldo almost scored a hat trick of his own, with chances in the second half not going his way. He also chose to give up a free kick just outside the Uzbekistan penalty area, where Nuno Mendes shocked everyone and scored his first goal of the tournament.
Ronaldo, 41, was questioned by fans as to whether he was still capable of delivering the striking prowess he has always demonstrated, especially on the world stage. That debate was somewhat silenced after this match, but Portugal will have a tougher test this Saturday against Colombia, where they must win to win Group K. Colombia beat DR Congo and Uzbekistan.
