Portugal attacker Cristiano Ronaldo has etched his name into tournament history by becoming the first football player to score in six editions of the FIFA World Cup. The milestone comes just one day after Argentina's Lionel Messi became the tournament's all-time leading goalscorer.
The striker opened the scoring in the sixth minute of Portugal's Group K match against Uzbekistan. Ronaldo met a cross from João Cancelo at the near post to give his nation the early lead, marking his ninth career goal in the tournament since his debut in 2006.
The veteran forward added a second goal in the first half by capitalizing on a fast-breaking counter-attack initiated by Bruno Fernandes. Ronaldo converted a through pass that bypassed the Uzbek defense, directing the ball toward the far post to extend Portugal's advantage.
Following the second goal, Ronaldo celebrated with the crowd using his trademark celebration. The double strike brought his total international tally to 144 goals and officially broke Eusébio's long-standing record of nine World Cup goals for the Iberian nation.
While the striker's overall World Cup tally remains behind Messi's tournament record of 18 goals, the achievement cements his monumental legacy in the sport. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is aiming to add a World Cup trophy to the UEFA European Championship title he won in 2016.
Speaking after the match, Ronaldo expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance, noting that the most important factor was their collective work and confidence. He added that while personal records are positive, his primary objective remains helping the national team achieve its goals.
Portugal will conclude their group stage campaign against Colombia on Saturday, 27 June, where the team will look to build on this performance as the tournament progresses.
