FIFA President Gianni Infantino sent a congratulatory message to Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portugal star set a new World Cup record. Ronaldo scored a brace against Uzbekistan in Portugal's 5-0 win, becoming the first player to score in six FIFA World Cups. He also surpassed Eusebio as Portugal's all-time top scorer in the tournament, now with 10 goals.
Infantino's Message to Ronaldo
Gianni Infantino published a post on his official Instagram page with a congratulations message for the Portugal captain. 'What an incredible achievement. Congratulations to Cristiano Ronaldo on becoming the first player to score in six FIFA World Cups. My best wishes for the rest of the tournament,' he wrote.
Ronaldo Responds to Criticism
The Portuguese team, particularly Cristiano Ronaldo, faced heavy criticism after their performance and result against the Democratic Republic of Congo. The captain responded after the win over Uzbekistan, stating, 'It has been a difficult week. The criticism was intense, especially towards me, but after 23 or 24 years in football, I know how to deal with it.' He added, 'The most important thing is the team, and to stick together and with our families as well, because those are the things we can control. What comes from outside, we can't. We know that when we don't play well, we're always criticised, especially me, but as I said, I'm used to it.'
Coach Martinez Defends Ronaldo
Portugal's head coach, Roberto Martinez, defended Ronaldo against the criticism. 'We're more united, we're stronger. We're playing a World Cup, of course, there's a lot of noise, a lot of tension, it's part of the game. Our focus is on the team. We're more united than before we arrived,' he said via Goal. 'There's no tension. He's an example as a captain. And he's reacted as a captain, with a lot of experience. He's probably the biggest example of how to recover, how to train. But that doesn't take away the feeling of frustration we all have, as a team.'
Ronaldo's Record-Breaking Performance
Ronaldo helped Portugal win their first game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a 5-0 victory against Uzbekistan. He became the first player to score in six World Cups, having scored at least once in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026. He also became the all-time top Portuguese scorer in World Cup history with 10 goals, surpassing Eusebio. Ronaldo admitted that while personal achievements are great, his focus remains on achieving the team's objectives.
