Ronaldo Scores Historic Sixth World Cup Goal
Cristiano Ronaldo etched his name deeper into football lore on June 23 when he found the back of the net for Portugal against Uzbekistan, becoming the first player ever to score in six consecutive FIFA World Cups.
The veteran striker, aged 41, opened the scoring in the sixth minute at Houston’s stadium. A swift move down the right flank by João Cancelo set up a low cross into the box; Ronaldo slipped past his defender and fired a shot beyond goalkeeper Abduvokhid Nematov to give Portugal an early lead.
Ronaldo celebrated with his teammates and delighted fans with his trademark “Siiiu!” gesture as Portugal seized control of a match they needed to win. The victory pushed the Seleção closer to knocking out the group stage, while Uzbekistan’s hopes of advancement suffered a blow.
The goal marked Ronaldo’s ninth World Cup tally and his first since converting a penalty against Ghana in the 2022 edition. It arrived just days after he faced criticism following Portugal’s 1‑1 draw with DR Congo in their tournament opener.
Appearing in a record‑setting sixth World Cup, Ronaldo is already the oldest outfield player to start a match at the tournament. He previously made history in Qatar 2022 by becoming the first to score in five different World Cups, a feat later equaled by Argentina’s Lionel Messi.
Later in the same match, Bruno Fernandes picked Ronaldo inside the penalty area, and the captain calmly placed the ball into the bottom‑left corner, extending Portugal’s advantage to 3‑0.
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