Cristiano Ronaldo, eternal legend: scores in his sixth World Cup with a brace
- Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace against Uzbekistan and is the first footballer to score in six different World Cups.
- At 41 years and 138 days old, he is also the oldest player to score a brace in the tournament's history.
- He has 10 goals in World Cup final stages; Messi has scored in five editions and Cristiano in six.
There are stats that sound like a wind-up until Cristiano Ronaldo pulls them off. In Houston, Portugal's captain served up a brace against Uzbekistan (5-0) and, at 41 years old, became the first footballer in history to score in six different World Cups: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026. Twenty years scoring at World Cups. Even he couldn't believe it: "I'm back, I'm back", he roared at the camera when it was done.
A record nobody else had. Scoring in six different World Cup editions had never been done before. Not by Pelé, not by Klose, not by Messi himself (who's scored in five). Cristiano opened the floodgates in the 6th minute with an assist from João Cancelo and bagged the second before half-time, set up by Bruno Fernandes. With those two goals he reaches 10 goals in World Cup finals.
And that wasn't his only record of the day. At 41 years and 138 days, CR7 is also the oldest player to score a brace in World Cup history, plus the oldest outfield player to start in this edition. The body's holding up and his predatory instincts aren't retiring anytime soon.
The context: Portugal comes back to life. The Portuguese came into this match off the back of a disappointing 1-1 draw with R. D. Congo in their opener, and this demolition (with Nuno Mendes, an own goal from Nematov and Rafael Leão wrapping up the 5-0) restores their confidence and their credentials. Roberto Martínez's side will fight it out for top spot in Group K against James Rodríguez's Colombia on 27 June, no less.
The Messi rivalry, never-ending. The same weekend Messi surpassed Klose as the tournament's all-time top scorer, Cristiano answered back with a record of his own that the Argentine doesn't have. The two of them, in their forties and thirties respectively, keep on writing history for each other. Messi's record, here. Let it never end. Puxa.
Frequently asked questions
What record did Cristiano Ronaldo break at the 2026 World Cup?
He became the first footballer in history to score in six different World Cups: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026. He achieved this with a brace against Uzbekistan in Portugal's 5-0 victory.
How old is Cristiano Ronaldo at the 2026 World Cup?
41 years old. In addition to the record of scoring in six World Cups, he became the oldest player to score a brace in the history of the tournament, at 41 years and 138 days.
How many goals does Cristiano Ronaldo have in World Cups?
After the brace against Uzbekistan, he has 10 goals in World Cup finals.
In how many World Cups have Messi and Cristiano scored?
Messi has scored in five different World Cups; Cristiano Ronaldo is the only one to have done so in six, a record that the Argentine does not have.
💬 Comments
Have your say, YouTube-comments style but at home. Be polite — decent folk read this.