Cristiano Ronaldo’s message to the critics, the pundits and all of the doubters who wrote their World Cup obituary over the last week or so came right next to you from a pitch-side camera in a loudly worded “I’m back!”.
After scoring twice in Portugal’s 2026 FIFA World Cup demolition of Uzbekistan, I’m back! It’s at 41 years of age that the man is in his sixth World Cup, and he still refuses to be known by anyone other than himself.Ronaldo’s circus had reached the roarster stage since his first Group K game had been played against DR Congo when they drew against Portugal 1-1.
Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Vinicius Jr as well as Harry Kane lit up the first two weeks of the tournament but CR7 remained quiet and that caught the world’s attention. But his veteran sports fans would have known better because for 23 awesome years he has been in the field. Ronaldo sure doesn’t vanish away.
Then he goes away and explodes.He only required six minutes in favour of Uzbekistan to make an awesome half-volley from Joao Cancelo’s cross, leaving no earthly doubt for the goalkeeper. He would have doubled his count after Bruno Fernandes valuably shot past the defence with a perfect through-pass before the break. He was going for a first half hat trick but got thwarted on a goalline clearance, but the goals in his mind were there for all 90 minutes.
The two goals gave Ronaldo the chance to repeat Batman’s feat of scoring at six World Cups, a mark that seems likely to stand forever. Since then, he has scored in every World Cup from 2006, a period of 20 world-class tournaments which is unmatched.But first, the week leading up to this match hadn’t been quite as straightforward in Portugal. It was a time of criticism, noise “which was actually unfair,” writes manager Roberto Martinez in his straight-forward admission. But it wasn’t only what Ronaldo did on the football field, it was how he got off of it. “My captain, a perfect captain, very much focused,” Martinez said, his praise coming after his squad, who were always hungry and ready to play after being driven by their unrelenting momentum, didn’t falter in the pressure of last month’s tournament.
The dressing room had to have a captain, and the captain of the dressing room came along.Once the ball came out from under the bar, Ronaldo was challenged by fans to describe his ‘I’m back’ chant. CR7, the answer slipped right out of his mouth: “Just to not forget —23 years like this.” This isn’t “Arrogance”. This is the steely, unheralded certainty of a man who knows no better way than to say it. Wayne Rooney shared some of his thoughts with BBC Sport: “He didn’t play the best game but this is what he does. To knock in two goals at the World Cup at 41 is extraordinary. He didn’t have the best game but, that’s what he does.
Last but not least, Roy Keane on ITV Sport expressed the thoughts of millions of sports fans worldwide: “Cristiano Ronaldo was never gone. He is the man. Doubted genius.With just one match in group K remaining, Portugal have Colombia after the opening match of the Group K campaign is a home game with top of the group clinching and the knockout round draw yet to be decided. So, if Ronaldo continues in that form then the critics will have a long one ahead of them for this tournament.
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