Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated the conclusion of a “God helps those who work hard,” following his two goals in Portugal’s 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan, marking him as the first player to score in six World Cups.
Following a disappointing draw against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ronaldo and the Portuguese team faced intense scrutiny. The 41-year-old forward had gone without a goal in his last ten major tournament matches prior to Tuesday’s game. Doubts about his capacity to lead Portugal at this level loomed large, but after the match, he exclaimed to a camera, “It was a difficult, dark week; it felt like I’d already retired from football. But I held on as I always do because I believe more in hard work than in football. It was difficult, I have to admit, but we’re back. “It’s fine because when you think about it, it’s already 23 years I’ve been a professional and whenever things don’t go well it’s: ‘Cristiano, he’s finished, he’s old.’ But well, it was a good response from me and my teammates, which is what we wanted.”
“Very happy, but for me the most important thing is the work the team did, the confidence we had,” Ronaldo later reflected. “We took a lot of hits during the week, we knew that would happen. The team worked very well, we improved a lot. Every cloud has a silver lining, as they say. “Speaking for myself, breaking records is always nice, but my goal is to help the national team achieve its objectives. In this part it was about getting through the qualifying round, and with four points I think we’ve already done it.”
Ronaldo acknowledged the significance of his record, which came just after Lionel Messi became the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer, but emphasized the importance of his team’s collective effort. “Today I was [named] the best player on the field, tomorrow it will be someone else,” he stated. “If we are united, I think we can go very far.”
He continued, “I don’t care about Messi.”
This victory could reignite hopes that Portugal might emerge as serious contenders. “Both of them make history in football,” Ronaldo remarked. “They improve football and the rivalry is important for them to grow as players as well. Our captain is an icon, a role model for the national team. He tries to improve every day, in every training session, and has a great attitude in the dressing room.” When asked about Messi’s achievements, he responded curtly, “I told him: ‘Maybe you can do more years if you’re not tired and enjoy football,’”
Portugal’s coach, Roberto Martínez, praised Ronaldo, calling him a “If you still look like that, why not carry on? “When you play against Ronaldo you know that you can’t leave even one centimetre; he will take advantage. There are many who think that playing in Asia, like Cristiano does, is actually wasting time. But then to come to the World Cup at 41 and play, it shows you are still hungry.” amid the recent criticisms, and recognized the contributions of both players in football history. “Both of them make history in football,” he noted. “They improve football, and the rivalry is important for them to grow as players as well. Our captain is an icon, a role model for the national team. He tries to improve every day, in every training session, and has a great attitude in the dressing room.”
Fabio Cannavaro, Uzbekistan’s head coach, suggested that Ronaldo’s performance should silence the critics of the Saudi Pro League, where Ronaldo plays for Al-Nassr. “I told him: ‘Maybe you can do more years if you’re not tired and enjoy football,’” he shared. “If you still look like that, why not carry on?”
He added, “When you play against Ronaldo, you know that you can’t leave even one centimetre; he will take advantage. There are many who think that playing in Asia, like Cristiano does, is actually wasting time. But then to come to the World Cup at 41 and play, it shows you are still hungry.”
