Portugal beat Uzbekistan 5-0 in Houston on Tuesday. Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score at six different World Cups, volleying in from a João Cancelo cross in the sixth minute and adding a second from a Bruno Fernandes pass before halftime. Lionel Messi, the only other man to appear at six World Cups, never scored at the 2010 edition in South Africa.
The result, Portugal’s first of the 2026 tournament, restored their Group K campaign after a 1-1 opening draw with DR Congo on June 17. It closed Uzbekistan’s World Cup. Their debut ends with two defeats and elimination from the group. Portugal face group leaders Colombia on June 27 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, with Ronaldo’s record-breaking tournament still alive.
Cristiano Ronaldo Scores at a Record Sixth World Cup
Ronaldo’s brace came six days after his quietest game. Against DR Congo at the same Houston venue, he missed two clear chances and watched his side surrender a sixth-minute lead in a 1-1 draw. The criticism was sharp, public, and personal; some Portugal watchers questioned whether the 41-year-old still had a place in Roberto Martínez’s starting XI. In Houston on Tuesday, with Cancelo crossing from the right in the sixth minute, Ronaldo volleyed in with his right foot to make it 1-0 and the answer was immediate.
He had a two-word answer: “I’m back.” “But it’s always like that,” Ronaldo said in Portuguese, per the Associated Press. “It doesn’t matter, because it’s been 23 years on the job. When things go well, \”Cristiano is good.\” When things go bad, \”Cristiano is a retired player, is old.\” It will always be like that.” “We responded well today, me and my teammates, which is what we wanted.”
Martínez framed the night in character terms. “He’s a human being,” the coach said. “He’s allowed to have emotions. He’s allowed to have feelings. What is impressive with him is the answer.” Ronaldo’s answer made him the second-oldest scorer at a World Cup, behind Cameroon’s Roger Milla, who scored at 42 in 1994. The brace lifted him to 145 international goals across 230 caps, the most appearances in international football history.
I’m back.
Cristiano Ronaldo, addressing the television camera at the final whistle in Houston on June 23, 2026, per the Associated Press.
How Portugal Put Five Past Uzbekistan
Portugal were three up before the break. Nuno Mendes headed in Portugal’s second in the 17th minute after Ronaldo’s sixth-minute opener, and Ronaldo added his second six minutes before halftime to make it 3-0. The goals came from open play, set pieces, and individual quality, the kind of attacking performance Martínez had demanded in the five days since the DR Congo draw.
Cancelo found Ronaldo inside the box for the opener. Mendes’ header came from a wide delivery in the 17th minute, and Ronaldo’s second came in the 39th from a Fernandes pass, finished with his right foot just inside the near post. The 3-0 half-time lead was emphatic. Uzbekistan, still learning the stage, never recovered their shape after the break. Cannavaro, the 2006 World Cup-winning captain with Italy, summed up the lesson plainly: “As a defender you need to be ready and close to him in the box. If you give him one centimeter in the box, you are dead.”
An own goal from goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov in the 60th minute and a late strike from Rafael Leão in the 87th made it 5-0 in Houston. 68,777 watched from the stands, the same venue that hosted Portugal’s DR Congo draw six days earlier. Portugal face Colombia on June 27.
- 6′ Cristiano Ronaldo (assist: João Cancelo)
- 17′ Nuno Mendes
- 39′ Cristiano Ronaldo (assist: Bruno Fernandes)
- 60′ Abduvohid Nematov (own goal)
- 87′ Rafael Leão
From the Predicted XIs to the Players Who Started
Pre-match coverage had one idea of how both teams would line up. Al Bawaba’s pre-match preview, published the morning of the game in Houston, had Portugal starting Bernardo Silva on the right of a midfield three behind Ronaldo, with Bruno Fernandes, João Neves, and Vitinha in the middle. Uzbekistan were tipped to start goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov behind a back three of Rustamjon Ashurmatov, Abdulla Abdullaev, and Abdukodir Khusanov. Up front, Oston Urunov, Eldor Shomurodov, and Abbosbek Fayzullaev.
The actual XIs told a different story. Roberto Martínez left Bernardo Silva on the bench from the start, promoted João Félix to the front line, and moved Vitinha and Neves into a central midfield pair, a more conservative shape that freed Fernandes to play as a number 10. Fabio Cannavaro made three changes to the predicted Uzbekistan side: Abduvohid Nematov replaced Utkir Yusupov in goal, Odiljon Hamrobekov came in for Akmal Mozgovoy in midfield, and Azizjon Ganiev replaced Oston Urunov in attack. Shomurodov remained captain, Fayzullaev kept his starting spot from the Colombia match, and Khusanov anchored the same back three, per the official match centre with full lineups and statistics.
| Position | Predicted XI (Al Bawaba) | Actual XI |
|---|---|---|
| Portugal GK | Diogo Costa | Diogo Costa |
| Portugal DEF | Cancelo, Dias, Veiga, Mendes | Cancelo, Dias, Veiga, Mendes |
| Portugal MID | Bruno Fernandes, João Neves, Vitinha | Vitinha, João Neves (Bruno Fernandes at #10) |
| Portugal FWD | Bernardo Silva, Ronaldo, Pedro Neto | João Félix, Ronaldo, Pedro Neto |
| Uzbekistan GK | Utkir Yusupov | Abduvohid Nematov |
| Uzbekistan DEF | Ashurmatov, Abdullaev, Khusanov | Khusanov, Abdullaev, Ashurmatov |
| Uzbekistan MID | Karimov, Mozgovoy, Shukurov, Nasrullaev | Karimov, Hamrobekov, Shukurov, Nasrullaev |
| Uzbekistan FWD | Urunov, Shomurodov, Fayzullaev | Ganiev, Shomurodov, Fayzullaev |
Uzbekistan’s Historic World Cup Debut Ends in Houston
For Uzbekistan, the World Cup ended the way a debut often does: in defeat. Two matches, two losses, zero points, and a goal difference of minus seven. The numbers leave Cannavaro’s side with one match left against DR Congo on June 27 but no path to the round of 32. The tournament’s wider meaning sat beside the scoreline. Uzbekistan’s debut was their first at a World Cup finals, and their players walked out in Houston as the country’s first World Cup squad, per the story of their first qualification for the tournament.
The June 17 opener against Colombia carried the historic weight. Abbosbek Fayzullaev’s 60th-minute equaliser, finished into an empty net after Camilo Vargas parried a shot from captain Eldor Shomurodov, was Uzbekistan’s first-ever goal at a World Cup finals. The 3-1 loss did not dim the milestone; a 5-0 loss to Portugal six days later closed the group stage.
Cannavaro will lead Uzbekistan into their final match. He took over from Timur Kapadze after Uzbekistan had already qualified for their first World Cup, per the announcement of his appointment as head coach. His post-match verdict captured the gap between a 41-year-old chasing records and a Central Asian side still learning the World Cup stage. Cannavaro framed the result as a lesson in what the World Cup demands from a debutant side.
Group K Going Into the Final Matchday
Group K after two rounds: Colombia 6, Portugal 4, DR Congo 1, Uzbekistan 0. Colombia’s 1-0 win over DR Congo in Tuesday’s other Group K match, decided by Daniel Muñoz’s 76th-minute goal in front of 45,358, confirmed the order at the top and bottom.
Portugal sit second, above DR Congo, behind Colombia on goal difference. The final round of group matches on June 27 sends Portugal to Miami to face Colombia and DR Congo to play Uzbekistan in the simultaneous kick-offs. The winner and runner-up of Group K both advance to the round of 32; the third-placed team may also advance if ranked among the eight best third-placed teams at the tournament.
For Ronaldo, the tournament stretches into a sixth week. He shares the record for most World Cups played (six) with Messi, a stage neither man had reached before this year. His next chance to extend the scoring record comes against Colombia on June 27 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. The group winner will play one of the third-placed teams from Groups D, E, I, J, or L in the round of 32.
Ronaldo’s record has room to grow. The 41-year-old now has 10 World Cup goals, surpassing Eusébio’s nine to become Portugal’s all-time leading scorer at the tournament. He also has 145 international goals, the most by any male player. He stands alone as the only player to score at six different World Cups after Tuesday’s brace. “This is likely to be the final World Cup for Ronaldo,” the Associated Press reported, citing his age and the tournament’s calendar. Portugal’s tournament continues June 27 against Colombia in Miami.
- Match attendance: 68,777 at Houston Stadium
- Goals: Ronaldo 6′, Mendes 17′, Ronaldo 39′, Nematov OG 60′, Leão 87′
- Ronaldo World Cup goals: 10 (now Portugal’s all-time leader at the tournament)
- Ronaldo international goals: 145 across 230 caps (most in history)
- Group K standings: Colombia 6 pts, Portugal 4, DR Congo 1, Uzbekistan 0
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score between Portugal and Uzbekistan at the 2026 World Cup?
Portugal beat Uzbekistan 5-0 in Houston on June 23, 2026. It was Portugal’s first win of the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage, following a 1-1 draw with DR Congo in the opener. Ronaldo’s brace made him the first player to score at six different World Cups, with both goals coming in the first half.
How many World Cups has Cristiano Ronaldo scored in?
Ronaldo scored at his sixth different World Cup on Tuesday. He became the first player in history to achieve the feat, with his brace against Uzbekistan taking him to 10 career World Cup goals, surpassing Eusébio’s nine to become Portugal’s all-time leading scorer at the tournament.
When did Uzbekistan first qualify for a World Cup?
Uzbekistan debuted at the 2026 World Cup. The June 17 match against Colombia was their first-ever World Cup finals appearance, with Abbosbek Fayzullaev scoring Uzbekistan’s first-ever goal at the tournament in a 3-1 loss.
What are the Group K standings after Portugal beat Uzbekistan?
Colombia lead Group K with 6 points from two matches, including a 1-0 win over DR Congo on Tuesday. Portugal sit second with 4 points and a +5 goal difference after their 5-0 win over Uzbekistan. DR Congo have 1 point. Uzbekistan are bottom with 0 points and a minus-7 goal difference.
When is Portugal’s next match at the 2026 World Cup?
Portugal play Colombia on June 27 in Miami. That match, at Hard Rock Stadium, will decide who finishes top of Group K and who plays a third-placed team from Groups D, E, I, J, or L in the round of 32.
