One week ago in Houston, DR Congo supporters were doing something deeply audacious. After their 1-1 draw with Portugal, fans spilled onto the streets and turned Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic “SIUU” celebration back on him — chanting it in the night air as a taunt. The 41-year-old had failed to score, failed to register a shot on target, and frankly looked every inch of his age. Pundits were calling for his head. Roberto Martinez’s faith in his captain was labelled delusional.
Fast forward six days. Same stadium. Same city. Different Ronaldo.
The First Goal: 975 Career Goals, and He Chose THIS Moment
Just six minutes into Portugal’s Group K showdown against Uzbekistan, Joao Cancelo slipped a low cross across the six-yard box. Ronaldo swivelled. He didn’t think. He didn’t overthink. He just smashed it beyond goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov — and then let out a primal, chest-thumping SIUU that practically shook the foundations of Houston Stadium.
The roar from 68,777 fans was deafening. And just like that, the narrative flipped.
With that goal, Ronaldo did something Messi has never done, Mbappe has never done, no human being in the history of the sport has ever done — he scored at six different World Cups: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026. He also became the second-oldest scorer in World Cup history at 41 years and 138 days, behind only the legendary Roger Milla. Records that may never, ever be broken.
A First Half That Ran Away From Uzbekistan
Portugal didn’t take their foot off the gas after that opener. In the 17th minute, Nuno Mendes curled a stunning free-kick into the far corner — using Ronaldo as a decoy that completely bamboozled the Uzbek wall. Clever. Ruthless. Pure class.
Then came the third, and it had Bruno Fernandes’s fingerprints all over it. A perfectly-weighted through ball, a perfectly-timed run, and Ronaldo rolling it across his body and into the net with the composure of a man half his age. Portugal were 3-0 up at halftime. Ronaldo had a brace. He’d admitted earlier in the week that the post-Congo criticism had felt like “dark times” — like he had already retired in the public’s eyes. The first half was his answer.
Uzbekistan nearly grabbed a lifeline when Aziz Ganiev thundered in a long-range screamer — only for VAR to rule it out for a foul on Cancelo. Another bitter pill for the Central Asian debutants.
Second Half: Rout Confirmed, Hat-Trick Denied
The second period was more of a victory lap than a contest. A clever corner routine in the 60th minute ricocheted off two Uzbek defenders and crept over the line for an unfortunate own goal.
Rafael Leão — introduced from the bench — crashed a fifth into the roof of the net in the 87th minute, leaving Uzbekistan thoroughly dismantled.
Ronaldo, bless him, went hunting for his hat-trick. Nematov pulled off two sharp saves to deny him. Not every fairytale ends perfectly. But this was close enough.
Roy Keane, not a man who gives out compliments easily, summed it up on ITV: “He is the man.”
What’s Next — And Why This Matters
Portugal face Colombia in their final group game on Saturday in Miami. With six points already secured from four, they are in pole position to top Group K. Ronaldo, on 10 World Cup goals — more than any Portuguese player in history, more than the great Eusebio — is warmed up and dangerous.
The critics have been silenced. The SIUU chants belong to Ronaldo again. And if you had written him off after the Congo draw, well — you should have known better.
Man of the Match: Ronaldo
