For nearly a year, the goals had stopped coming in international football.

By Cristiano Ronaldo’s standards, that absence felt almost unnatural. His last international goal had come on October 14, 2025, against Hungary, and after a below-par performance in Portugal’s opening World Cup game against DR Congo, the critics were circling around.

Thierry Henry used his platform on Fox Sports to make a pointed observation. “One thing that’s important, people, please, at home: The team needs to score, not you need to score.”

On Tuesday, Ronaldo delivered his answer.

The 41-year-old scored twice as Portugal defeated Uzbekistan, ending a drought that had stretched for long. At 41 years and 138 days, Ronaldo also became the second-oldest goalscorer in World Cup history, a spot behind Roger Milla, who had scored against Russia at the 1994 World Cup when he was 42 years and 39 days old.

He is also now the oldest player to record more than one goal in a men’s World Cup game, surpassing the mark his long-time rival Lionel Messi had set against Algeria and had then extended further with his twin strike against Austria.

“I’m very happy. But for me, the most important thing is our work and the confidence we showed,” Ronaldo said, perhaps sending a message to the detractors, who had questioned his adaptability as a team man.

“The team performed really well and improved a lot. As the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining. Obviously, speaking personally, records are always nice, but my goal is always to help the national team achieve its objectives.”

That response reflected a player who increasingly understands his place in the final chapter of a remarkable career. Ronaldo no longer needs to prove he can score goals. He has spent more than two decades doing precisely that.

Now, he seeks one last meaningful run with Portugal at this World Cup.

Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro, who has played against Ronaldo, felt the criticism was unwarranted against a player of Ronaldo’s calibre.

“Many think that he is wasting his time playing in Asia. But when you come to a World Cup at 41 and show the way he played, it shows he is still hungry. Football is not just Europe anymore, it is open to the entire horizon,” the Italian World Cup winner said. “When you play against Ronaldo, you cannot leave anything (to chance), even if you leave even a centimetre, he will score, and you are dead.”

Game recognises game: Fabio Cannavaro, who had once shared the field with Cristiano Ronaldo as a player, is now a coach and was on the receiving end of the damaging loss. Still, the Italian was all praises for the Portuguese forward.
| Photo Credit:
AP

Roberto Martinez, Portugal’s coach, also came out in defence of his captain.

“Our captain is an icon, and he is a role model who works hard for the Portugal team both on the pitch and also in the dressing room. And it is not just the goals he scored, but also what he creates, the passes he makes. And he is already preparing for the next match,” Martinez said.

After months of questions and scrutiny, the night brought confirmation that even at 41, Ronaldo remains capable of deciding the biggest occasions.

Published on Jun 24, 2026