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Cristiano Ronaldo: Cristiano Ronaldo etched his name deeper into football's history books on Tuesday.
The Portuguese captain became the first player ever to score at six separate World Cups.
He reached the milestone during Portugal's commanding 5-0 Group K victory over Uzbekistan. Ronaldo had entered the match under pressure.
There was talk following Portugal's 1-1 draw with DR Congo that manager Roberto MartÃnez should consider benching him.
He answered his critics swiftly. The 41-year-old opened the scoring in just the sixth minute with a clinical near-post finish.
The goal launched a record that no player in the sport's history has ever achieved — finding the net at six different World Cup tournaments: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026.
He was not finished there. A counter-attack saw Bruno Fernandes thread a through ball between the Uzbekistan defense, and Ronaldo finished coolly to add his second — his 10th career World Cup goal, breaking a tie with Eusébio to become Portugal's all-time leading scorer in the competition.
Ronaldo passed up a free kick opportunity before halftime, letting Nuno Mendes convert instead to make it 2-0.
He then chased a hat trick throughout the second half but could not add a third.
Portugal's fourth goal arrived in the 60th minute when a low delivery into the box deflected off Abdukodir Khusanov and Abduvohid Nematov into the net.
Rafael Leão sealed the rout in the 87th minute, finishing off a loose ball to make it five.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was named man of the match. At 41 years and 138 days, he is now the second-oldest player to score in a World Cup, behind only Cameroon legend Roger Milla, who netted at 42 years and 39 days in 1994.
The record also sets Ronaldo apart from his long-time rival Lionel Messi. Both men are now the only players in history to appear at six World Cups.
However, Ronaldo stands alone in having scored at every one of them, after Messi went goalless at the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
Messi currently leads the all-time World Cup scoring chart with 18 goals after a hat trick against Algeria and two more against Austria this week. Ronaldo sits at 10.
Portugal's victory moves them to four points in Group K. They face Colombia in Miami on Saturday in their group finale.
Coach MartÃnez had backed Ronaldo publicly heading into the match. "He's an example," MartÃnez said Monday.
"He's been playing for his country for a long time. He wants to contribute, and he's a role model for our team."
Tuesday's match was also a milestone in itself. It was Ronaldo's 230th international appearance — the most in men's football history — during which he has scored 145 goals for Portugal.
This World Cup is widely expected to be his last. His storied career includes five Champions League titles with Manchester United and Real Madrid, along with Portugal's UEFA Euro 2016 championship.
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