Ronaldo late to World Cup party but still able to steal the show
Key takeaways
- Portugal coach Martinez says Ronaldo’s rivalry with the likes of Messi drives both players to stay at their best.
- Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said Ronaldo’s rivalry with the likes of Messi is important for both players and drives them to stay at their best.
- “I believe both players have improved football over the years, and their rivalry is important for themselves to grow,” he said.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Portugal coach Martinez says Ronaldo’s rivalry with the likes of Messi drives both players to stay at their best.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated in his signature style after scoring against Uzbekistan [Annegret Hilse/Reuters]By Reuters Published On 23 Jun 202623 Jun 2026Cristiano Ronaldo finally joined the World Cup goal-scoring party by netting two for Portugal against Uzbekistan, putting behind him a difficult week and reminding fans that his predatory instincts around the box have not diminished.
Ronaldo scored twice in the first half as Portugal romped to a 5-0 win on Tuesday, bringing relief to both the player and the team, who had come in for heavy criticism following a lacklustre 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of the Congo in their opener.