Cristiano Ronaldo gave a blunt and awkward response when asked about Lionel Messi after scoring twice in Portugal's 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan at the World Cup. The Portugal captain immediately shut down a reporter who tried to compare his performance to Messi's, saying 'Next question' as he turned away.
Ronaldo's Double Silences Critics
Ronaldo had drawn a blank in Portugal's opening 1-1 draw with DR Congo, leading to criticism that the 41-year-old was past his best. However, he responded emphatically with two goals against Uzbekistan, also assisting Nuno Mendes with a clever free-kick before Rafael Leao added a fifth.
After the match, Ronaldo addressed the difficult week he endured. 'God helps those who work hard. I knew my teammates would help out too,' he said. 'It was a difficult week, a dark week. It felt like I'd retired from soccer. But I hung in there, as I always do, because I believe in hard work more than anything else. It was tough, I have to admit, but we're back.'
Record-Breaking Milestone
Ronaldo's brace made him the first player in history to score in six separate World Cups. He now has 18 World Cup goals, tying Messi's record for the most in the competition's history. Messi had earlier scored all five of Argentina's goals in the tournament, including a double the day before Portugal's match.
When a journalist began to ask about Messi and Kylian Mbappe's goals, Ronaldo interrupted and dismissed the question, saying 'Next question' before turning to another reporter.
Portugal's Improvement
Ronaldo insisted Portugal had improved since the opening draw. 'We've improved; that's just how life is. We face setbacks during games and in life, but the main goal is always to improve,' he said. 'And that's what we did. It was a very tough and difficult week, with public opinion being very harsh on all the players, especially on me and the coach. 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.'
Portugal now sit on four points and face Colombia in their final group fixture.
