Cristiano Ronaldo finally ended his 10-game scoring drought during Portugal vs. Uzbekistan World Cup matchup.
For years, Cristiano Ronaldo has been the man for the big moments for Portugal in major tournaments. Be it the Euros or the World Cup, the 41-year-old has remained a key star for the European giants.
However, ahead of Portugal’s group-stage clash against Uzbekistan, the five-time Ballon D’Or winner was on a 10-game major tournament scoring drought. Well, Ronaldo not only ended his drought, he also matched Lionel Messi’s insane international record.
Cristiano Ronaldo joins Lionel Messi in an elite record after a brace vs. Uzbekistan
Ronaldo silenced his critics with a 6th-minute brace against Uzbekistan. The near-post finish became his 9th goal in his World Cup career.
According to OptaJoe, the much-needed goal also helped the Al-Nassr star etch his name into FIFA World Cup history.
After all, he became the youngest and the oldest goalscorer for a country at the FIFA World Cup. A record that CR7 shares with Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Denmark’s Michael Laudrup.
But Ronaldo didn’t stop there, as he netted his second goal of the game at the 39th minute, increasing Portugal’s lead to 3-0 at the time.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s brace helped Portugal cruise to a dominant group stage win
Ronaldo’s brace injected Portugal with much-needed confidence, especially after a frustrating 1-1 draw in their World Cup opener against DR Congo.
As expected, Portugal dismantled Uzbekistan and walked away with a 5-0 win after the end of 90 minutes. The win helps Portugal sit at the top of Group K with four points to their name.
While Portugal are in a strong position to advance to the Round of 32, their fate will be decided in their final group stage matchup against Colombia.
Of course, with a +5 goal difference, a win or even a draw will suffice for a top two spot for Ronaldo’s side, but a massive defeat could put Portugal’s qualification in jeopardy.
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