Alongside the legacy of Portuguese icon Eusebio, Ronaldo entered the match chasing a moment that would redefine his place in the history of the national team. Cristiano Ronaldo created another unforgettable chapter in his historic career as Portugal faced Uzbekistan at the 2026 World Cup. Alongside the legacy of Portuguese icon Eusebio, Ronaldo entered the match chasing a moment that would redefine his place in the history of the national team. Portugal needed a response after a disappointing 1-1 draw against DR Congo in the opening match, and Ronaldo delivered when the pressure was at its highest. The veteran forward broke a legendary Portugal World Cup record that had stood for nearly six decades, adding another milestone to one of soccer’s greatest careers. Ronaldo surpasses Eusebio’s 60-year-old record Ronaldo’s performance against Uzbekistan immediately placed him among the most important names in World Cup history. The 41-year-old scored twice in the first half of Portugal’s dominant 5-0 victory, taking his World Cup goal tally to 10 goals and moving ahead of Eusebio as Portugal’s all-time leading scorer in the tournament. Eusebio’s record had remained untouched for decades. The Portuguese legend scored nine goals during the 1966 World Cup, helping Portugal achieve a historic third-place finish while becoming the tournament’s top scorer. Most World Cup goals for Portugal:◉ 10 – Cristiano Ronaldo ◎ 9 – Eusebio ◎ 4 – Pauleta Eusebio’s record had stood for 60 YEARS. 👀 pic.twitter.com/2Nrk2ye47h— Squawka (@Squawka) June 23, 2026 The Benfica icon was considered one of soccer’s greatest players, winning the Ballon d’Or in 1965 and leading Portugal’s golden generation during the 1960s. His World Cup scoring record became one of the most respected marks in Portuguese soccer history. Ronaldo finally surpassed that number on a night where he once again showed his ability to perform under pressure. Historic night for Portugal’s captain The Al-Nassr superstar needed only six minutes to open the scoring in Houston. After Joao Cancelo created space down the right side, the Portuguese captain reacted quickly inside the penalty area and produced a powerful finish to give Portugal the lead. That goal initially brought Ronaldo level with Eusebio’s record of nine World Cup goals. However, he was not finished. After Nuno Mendes doubled Portugal’s advantage with a brilliant free-kick, Ronaldo added his second goal before halftime. Bruno Fernandes delivered a perfectly timed pass, and Ronaldo calmly placed the ball beyond Uzbekistan goalkeeper Utkir Nematov. The finish moved the veteran to 10 World Cup goals for Portugal, officially breaking Eusebio’s record and creating another historic statistic in his extraordinary career. The brace also represented a personal comeback after criticism following Portugal’s opening match. Against DR Congo, Ronaldo struggled to influence the game, finishing with three shots without hitting the target and recording only 25 touches. The poor performance led to questions about whether Roberto Martínez should reduce Ronaldo’s role, especially as other superstars around the world were making immediate impacts at the tournament.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has spoken out regarding Cristiano Ronaldo's inclusion in the squad for the 2026 World Cup, where he is set to break the record for the most tournament appearances in soccer history. Cristiano Ronaldo is gearing up to return to soccer’s biggest stage after manager Roberto Martinez confirmed the forward’s inclusion in Portugal’s final 27-man squad for the 2026 World Cup. With his presence officially locked in, Ronaldo has made history, prompting FIFA President Gianni Infantino to publicly praise the monumental achievement. “An incredible achievement by an inspirational player – it’s a record sixth successful FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign for Cristiano Ronaldo as Portugal booked their place at the 2026 edition,” Infantino wrote on his Instagram account. Furthermore, Infantino highlighted the historic feat that Ronaldo is poised to accomplish in North America. “Cristiano now has the chance to represent his country at six FIFA World Cups – something no men’s player has yet achieved,” he added. However, Ronaldo might not be alone in achieving this landmark. Both Lionel Messi and Guillermo Ochoa are also preparing for what could be their sixth World Cup campaigns, and while their official squad selections have yet to be confirmed, the probability of them featuring in North America remains incredibly high. Ver esta publicación en Instagram Una publicación compartida de Gianni Infantino – FIFA President (@gianni_infantino) Ronaldo’s World Cup history Cristiano’s journey with soccer’s most prestigious tournament began at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where, as a 21-year-old, he managed to score his first tournament goal across six appearances. In that edition, Portugal secured their second-best finish in history, placing fourth and narrowly missing out on matching the bronze medal secured at England 1966. Four years later, he returned for the 2010 edition in South Africa, once again netting a single goal in four matches. During that tournament, Portugal was eliminated in the Round of 16 after falling to eventual champions Spain. Brazil 2014 marked Cristiano’s toughest World Cup outing to date. Despite scoring one goal, Portugal suffered a premature group-stage exit after being drawn into a difficult group alongside Germany, the United States, and Ghana. In Russia 2018, Cristiano delivered his finest individual World Cup performance. The forward struck four times, including a sensational hat-trick against Spain in an electric 3-3 draw to open the tournament. However, collective success eluded them once again, as they were knocked out by Uruguay in the Round of 16. In his most recent appearance at Qatar 2022, Ronaldo scored just once during the group stage and subsequently lost his place in the starting lineup during the knockout rounds. On that occasion, Portugal’s journey came to an end with a shocking quarterfinal defeat to Morocco.
After rediscovering his best form, João Cancelo was crowned champion of the 2025–26 LaLiga as a starter for Barcelona. Amid the celebrations, the Portuguese defender decided to launch strong criticism toward Al Hilal, explaining the reason that led him to leave the club midway through the season. João Cancelo has managed to become Barcelona’s starting left-back, shining under Hansi Flick. Nevertheless, his continuity at the club still appears uncertain, as he arrived on loan until the end of the season. Amid the celebrations of the 2025–26 LaLiga title, the Portuguese defender decided to deliver a strong criticism towards Al Hilal, clarifying the reason behind his sudden departure despite being a marquee signing. “At Al Hilal, unfortunately, I had people who did not tell me the truth. They told me I was going to be registered for the Saudi league list and then, when the time came, they did not do it. After that, I’m always the one left with the bad image… but at least I keep my word, and I would not trade it for anything. I have always been the same way. I am straightforward and I do not hold grudges against anyone,” Barcelona star Joao Cancelo said, via DAZN. Cancelo was left out of Al Hilal’s sporting project, but he remains under contract until 2027, meaning he would have to return. Nevertheless, they are not willing to let him leave as a free agent, and they are reportedly demanding €15 million for his transfer. Acknowledging his obligation to return to the Saudi Arabian team, he has stated that he holds no grudges, meaning he could even reintegrate into the squad if they resolve the foreign-player quota dilemma. Even though João Cancelo arrived without being at his best physically, head coach Hansi Flick has managed to bring back his best version. With his versatility and vision, he has become a starter, leading Barcelona to consider signing him permanently. In addition, he has made it clear that he is very happy with the Blaugranas, meaning he would be willing to make sacrifices to make the move happen. Joao Cancelo of FC Barcelona João Cancelo’s future could hinge on the 2026 World Cup With no room for him at Al Hilal and Barcelona unwilling to pay for his transfer, João Cancelo could arrive at the 2026 World Cup with Portugal without his professional future secured. Although Nuno Mendes is shining at left-back, head coach Roberto Martínez could take advantage of Cancelo’s strong form and deploy him at right-back, where he would look to attract interest from more clubs and decide his future. After rediscovering his best form, head coach Hansi Flick could be eager to keep João Cancelo, but only if he arrives as a free agent. Nevertheless, the Portuguese defender has also opened the door to SL Benfica, making it clear that he would lower his salary if necessary. Should he shine as a starter at the World Cup, he could attract the attention of more top European clubs, meaning he would essentially be playing for his professional future. Far from having a guaranteed starting spot, Cancelo must compete with Diogo Dalot and Nuno Mendes for prominence, as they have been the usual choices for head coach Roberto Martínez during the UEFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Nevertheless, João is now back at his best physically, something that had not been the case in the national team’s previous matches, emerging as a strong option.
Lionel Messi opened up about his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo. For nearly two decades, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated world soccer, collecting countless trophies and individual awards along the way. Even now, as both players approach the final stages of their careers, they remain the sport’s biggest stars. The Argentine forward recently reflected on that rivalry. During an interview on Lo Del Pollo, Messi was asked whether the constant comparisons with Ronaldo were a media creation or if there was actually bad blood between them. “Those comparisons or competitions are something natural in the world of soccer. It’s normal, just like it happens with clubs or national teams, but it was never anything beyond sports,” Leo began. “I was at Barcelona and he was at Real Madrid, playing Clasicos, and we were competing for everything both collectively and individually, so people were always comparing us,” the Argentine star added, referring to the 2009-2018 period when both players dominated La Liga. “What both of us achieved made the rivalry even bigger,” Messi admitted. Indeed, for a decade, he and Cristiano split the most prestigious individual awards in soccer. Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008, while Leo claimed his first the following year, and from then until 2018, no other player won the award until Luka Modric. “We didn’t meet often except during matches or award ceremonies, where everyone was always watching to see whether he or I would win. But we were always on good terms,” explained the Inter Miami player. “Now we’re far away and at different stages of our lives, but what happened was a beautiful sporting rivalry.” When was the last time Messi and Ronaldo faced each other? To find the last meeting between Messi and Ronaldo, it is necessary to go back to January 2023. At the time, the Portuguese forward had just arrived in Saudi Arabia from Manchester United, and a friendly match was organized between Paris Saint-Germain and the Riyadh Season Team, a squad made up of players from Al Nassr and Al Hilal. PSG won the game 5-4. However, the last official match between the two stars came much earlier. In the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League group stage, Juventus defeated Barcelona 3-0 thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo brace, just months before Messi was forced to leave the Catalan club for PSG. The 2026 FIFA World Cup could be the final opportunity Six and a half years after that last official match between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, their careers have taken very different paths. Playing on different continents, an official meeting between Inter Miami and Al Nassr appears extremely unlikely. Because of that, international soccer may be the only remaining possibility. Although neither player has confirmed it, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will almost certainly be the final major tournament for Messi and Ronaldo with their respective national teams. There, the possibility of Argentina and Portugal meeting is not entirely unrealistic. The quickest path for that to happen would be for both teams to finish second in their respective groups — something unlikely given the quality of their opponents — which would set up a potential Round of 16 clash. In a more logical scenario, with Argentina and Portugal winning their groups and advancing through the knockout rounds, they could instead meet in the quarterfinals.
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