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Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a timely response to his critics on Tuesday, scoring twice as Portugal cruised to a commanding 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan in their Group K clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Houston.

The emphatic win revived Portugal’s World Cup campaign after their opening draw against DR Congo and moved Roberto Martínez’s side into a strong position in the race for a place in the Round of 32.

Ronaldo wasted little time making his mark. The 41-year-old forward opened the scoring in the sixth minute, finishing from a João Cancelo assist to give Portugal an early advantage.

The goal saw him become the first player in football history to score in six different FIFA World Cups, further extending his remarkable international legacy.

Portugal doubled their lead in the 17th minute through Nuno Mendes, whose attacking run and clinical finish exposed Uzbekistan’s defensive frailties.

The Europeans continued to dominate possession and territory, pinning their opponents deep inside their own half.

Ronaldo struck again six minutes before the break, converting after being picked out by Bruno Fernandes.

The goal handed Portugal a comfortable 3-0 lead at half-time and underlined the veteran forward’s enduring influence on the international stage.

Any hopes of an Uzbek comeback disappeared shortly after the restart when goalkeeper Abduvokhid Nematov inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the 60th minute, extending Portugal’s lead to four.

With the contest effectively settled, Portugal controlled proceedings and continued to create chances against a tiring Uzbek defence.

Rafael Leão completed the rout in the 87th minute, finishing brilliantly after a well-worked move involving Nelson Semedo to cap a dominant display from the 2016 European champions.

The victory leaves Portugal firmly back in contention for qualification ahead of their final group match, while Uzbekistan face a must-win encounter against DR Congo to keep their World Cup hopes alive.

For Ronaldo, however, the night belonged to him. Having faced growing questions about his role in the national team, the Portuguese captain answered in the most emphatic manner possible with goals, records and a performance that reminded the football world why he remains one of the game’s defining figures.

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Argentina’s Lionel Messi has broken the record for the most goals in World Cup history with 18 goals after a brace in a win against Austria.

The defending champions won 2-0 after a hard fought game against Austria, but were able to get the win after Messi scored in both halves of the game.

Messi, who is widely regarded as the greatest footballer ever surpassed Germany’s Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 goals.

Argentina now have two wins in two games and have qualified for the next round as they look to successfully defend the title.

Meanwhile Austria will look to seal their qualification to the next round in their last game against Algeria.

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Mohamed Salah has described his country’s 3-1 victory over New Zealand at the FIFA World Cup 2026 as one of the most significant moments in Egyptian football history, after the Pharaohs secured their first-ever win at the global tournament.
Salah, who has carried the hopes of a football-mad nation for more than a decade, could barely contain his emotions after Egypt overturned a first-half deficit to defeat the Oceania side and keep alive their hopes of finishing top of Group G.

For a nation that has dominated African football with a record seven Africa Cup of Nations titles but struggled to make an impact on the World Cup stage, the victory represented a long-awaited breakthrough.
Speaking after the match, Salah reflected on the significance of the achievement and challenged his teammates to build on the result.
“I told the players before the game that they could write history today,” Salah said.

“This is our first World Cup win ever. If we can qualify as group winners in the next game, it will be remembered for years to come.”

The result marked a historic moment for Egyptian football, ending decades of frustration on the world’s biggest stage. Despite their pedigree in Africa, Egypt had previously failed to register a victory at the World Cup, with past appearances yielding disappointment rather than celebration.

Salah, who has been a fixture in the national team for 14 years, said the victory was particularly satisfying because of the sacrifices made by generations of Egyptian players.

“I always try to give my best to the national team and share my experience with the younger players,” he said. “We have reached the Africa Cup finals before and came close to winning trophies, but this is something special.”
The match itself was far from straightforward.
New Zealand stunned Egypt by taking the lead and looked capable of pulling off a major upset after a disciplined and energetic first-half display. The Kiwis, who had drawn their opening match, once again demonstrated resilience and organisation, forcing Egypt to dig deep.
However, the Pharaohs emerged transformed after the break, showing the determination and mental strength that Salah later praised.

“They scored first and were very sharp in the first half,” the Egyptian captain said.
“But in the second half, we came back into the game and showed strong mentality.”

Egypt’s quality eventually shone through as they struck three times to seal a memorable victory and move into a strong position heading into their final group fixture.
Despite the defeat, Salah reserved praise for the New Zealand side, describing them as a team capable of competing at the highest level.
“It is a very good team with good players,” he said. “Many of them play in Europe.

They are mentally strong and physically strong. They made it very difficult for us.”
While celebrations erupted among Egyptian supporters, Salah’s thoughts also turned to teammate Hossam, who appeared to suffer a concussion during the encounter.

“As captain, I try to check on everybody,” Salah revealed. “I was worried about him and wanted to make sure he was okay.”

The victory places Egypt on the brink of an even greater achievement. Having already secured a point against Belgium in their opening match, the Pharaohs now have an opportunity to finish top of Group G when they face Iran in their final group game.
For Salah, however, the occasion was about more than points or standings. It was about creating a moment that millions of Egyptians could cherish.
“For other countries, winning World Cup games may happen often,” he said. “For us, it doesn’t happen often. This is history for Egypt.”
Egypt now stands one match away from another piece of history. Should the Pharaohs defeat Iran and finish as Group G winners, the team would further cement its place among the country’s greatest football generations.