'I'm back': Cristiano Ronaldo responds with Portugal after difficult period

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/portugal-WvJrjFVN/uzbekistan-EZYKKRMc/?mid=nRFcNx7D"]The big win in Houston[/a] put [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/portugal/WvJrjFVN/"]Portugal[/a] on the brink of the knockout rounds and was a resounding response to the 41-year-old's doubters.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ronaldo-cristiano/WGOY4FSt/"]Ronaldo[/a]'s goal after six minutes made history -- trumping even [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Lionel Messi[/a] -- by scoring at six World Cups stretching back to 2006.[/p][p]The former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-united/ppjDR086/"]Manchester United[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/juventus/C06aJvIB/"]Juventus[/a] ace pulled out his trademark "Siu" celebration and let out a throaty roar in front of 68,777 fans.[/p][p]After [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mendes-nuno/ne2xCTJj/"]Nuno Mendes[/a] made it 2-0, Ronaldo neatly got his second with a cool finish six minutes before the break.[/p][image alt="Ronaldo stats vs Uzbekistan" id="17bba47c-330a-40e8-9948-61d8d8774acc" credit-line="IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters / Troy Taormina / Opta by StatsPerform" guid="0745af97-9deb-45a4-a7b3-9aaefffe7272" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]That took him to 10 World Cup goals, more than any other Portuguese player including the great Eusebio.[/p][p]Ronaldo was seen saying, "[b]I'm back, I'm back[/b]", and told broadcasters: "[b]It's always nice to break records, but my goal is to help the national team achieve its objectives[/b]."[/p][p]He added: "[b]It was a difficult week, a dark week. It seemed like I was already retired from football[/b].[/p][p]"[b]But I held on, as always, because I believe more in hard work than in anything else[/b].[/p][p]"[b]It was hard, I have to admit it, but we're back[/b]."[/p][p]Ronaldo came into the group encounter against tournament debutants [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/uzbekistan/EZYKKRMc/"]Uzbekistan[/a] with 143 goals, the most in international men's football.[/p][p]But once widely regarded as a competitor to Messi for the unofficial title of best player, his powers have been on the wane at the highest level.[/p][p]He had limited service in the disappointing 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo to start Portugal's World Cup title bid.[/p][embed guid="cf82b732-65e0-4ae7-8e8f-ffad3903cf74" url="https://x.com/brfootball/status/2069506541175140426" social-type="twitter" /][p]But when he did have two chances, he missed the target, igniting calls for coach Roberto Martinez to drop him.[/p][p]His travails in front of goal were in glaring contrast to the likes of Messi, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbappe-kylian/Wn6E2SED/"]Kylian Mbappe[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/haaland-erling/UmV9iQmE/"]Erling Haaland[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kane-harry/v5HSlEAa/"]Harry Kane[/a], who all made lightning starts to the World Cup.[/p][p]But Martinez has stuck defiantly by his skipper, who was given a rapturous reception when he came out to warm up at Houston Stadium, and again each time he appeared on the big screens.[/p][h2]Ronaldo's day[/h2][p]Ronaldo nearly pounced after just three minutes, narrowly failing to make contact at the far post after a cross by Mendes. Ronaldo slapped the turf in frustration.[/p][p]He did not have to wait long for his goal, swivelling on the six-yard box to meet a cross first time from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cancelo-joao/dAyeWYpm/"]Joao Cancelo[/a] and smash the ball beyond goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nematov-abduvakhid/ETlxhPFb/"]Abduvohid Nematov[/a].[/p][p]The outclassed Uzbeks, coached by the Italian 2006 World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro, were perfect opponents for Ronaldo to rediscover his scoring boots.[/p][p]It was 2-0 after 17 minutes when Mendes curled in a free-kick.[/p][embed guid="393ffd8a-d8f9-4830-82d6-68af61d93e01" url="https://x.com/FIFAWorldCup/status/2069468618476200189" social-type="twitter" /][p]The Uzbeks thought they had pulled one back after a screamer by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ganiev-azizjon/tzw1ENi0/"]Azizjon Ganiev[/a], but the goal was ruled out after a VAR intervention for a foul on Cancelo.[/p][p]It was Ronaldo's day, and he rolled in a third for Portugal with only the goalkeeper to beat with a smart, controlled finish.[/p][p]He might have had a hat-trick following an intricate free-kick routine, but Nematov denied him, clattering into the veteran attacker in the process.[/p][p]From the resulting corner, it was 4-0, with Ronaldo in the thick of it again before the ball went in off Nematov for an own goal.[/p][p]Substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leao-rafael/AqOPWN5s/"]Rafael Leao[/a] scored an emphatic fifth in the 87th minute.[/p][p]Before this, the evidence against Ronaldo was beginning to stack up.[/p][embed guid="319ccc6d-bbf1-4af8-bace-3ad56365a70b" url="https://x.com/FIFAWorldCup/status/2069469667668771053" social-type="twitter" /][p]In the previous 10 games at major competitions (World Cup and Euros) before the Uzbekistan match, he had zero goals and one assist.[/p][p]He did, though, have a successful season with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/al-nassr/h4I89ZuE/"]Al Nassr[/a] in Saudi Arabia, scoring 28 goals in 30 league games.[/p][p]Portugal's final group match is on Saturday against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/colombia/G02s4PCS/"]Colombia[/a], who beat the Uzbeks 3-1.[/p][p]Colombia meet [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/d-r-congo/phn9mm8H/"]DR Congo[/a] later Tuesday in Group K, knowing a win will propel them into the last 32.[/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /]