Cristiano Ronaldo silenced his critics in the most emphatic way possible on Tuesday. After Portugal’s shaky opener against Congo DR drew sharp backlash from the country’s own media, the 41-year-old produced a composed brace inside the first 45 minutes as Portugal dismantled Uzbekistan 5-0 at NRG Stadium in Houston. The result puts Portugal top of Group K and sets up a potentially historic path through the knockout stage, one that could end with Ronaldo and Lionel Messi finally sharing a World Cup pitch.
Did Ronaldo say a Portugal vs Argentina clash at World Cup 2026 would be exciting?
He did, and he didn’t dress it up. Asked about the prospect of facing Messi’s Argentina in the knockout rounds, Cristiano Ronaldo paused before giving what felt like a rare, unguarded answer.“I don’t know how to answer that,” he told reporters. “But, well, it would be awesome.”He quickly moved on, as he tends to do. “The most important thing was today, winning to advance, and being ready for what’s next. The main goal was to advance from the group stage, and we did it.”There was more edge when a journalist bundled Messi into the same question alongside Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, asking about the Golden Boot race.“Next question,” Ronaldo cut in.The week leading up to the Uzbekistan match had been rough. Portugal’s 1-1 draw with DR Congo opened the tournament flat, and criticism came fast. Ronaldo’s place in the starting XI was openly questioned back home.“It was a very tough and difficult week, with public opinion being very harsh on all the players, especially on me and the coach,” he said. “But I don’t mind. I’ve been in this profession for 23 years now, and whenever things go well, ‘Cristiano is doing great,’ but when they go badly, ‘Cristiano is retired, he’s too old.’ It will always be like that. But we responded well today.”His goals came early. He opened the scoring in the sixth minute, added a second before halftime, with Nuno Mendes netting a free kick between the two. An own goal from Abduvohid Nematov and a late Rafael Leao finish completed the rout. The brace made Ronaldo the first player to score in six men’s World Cups. Not a milestone he would have been indifferent to.
When could Ronaldo and Messi face each other at the FIFA 2026 World Cup?
Portugal and Argentina sit in adjacent groups. Argentina are already through from Group J as group winners. Portugal top Group K for now, but their final placement depends on Saturday’s match against Colombia in Miami Gardens.The math is straightforward. If Portugal win Group K, they land on the same side of the bracket as Argentina. Both teams would need to clear their Round of 32 and Round of 16 fixtures, but the path leads to a quarterfinal meeting between the two sides. Ronaldo vs Messi, at a World Cup, in the knockouts. Something that has never happened in either player’s career.If Portugal finish second, they cross to the opposite half of the draw. In that case, the only stage where the two could meet is the final.Either way, the possibility is real, and for the first time, the fixture chart actually allows it.