Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal thrashed Uzbekistan 5-0 at the World Cup, but the Portugal icon showed no interest in discussing his great rival Lionel Messi in the aftermath. When a reporter attempted to ask about Messi's goals, Ronaldo cut him off with a terse 'Next question'.
Ronaldo's Brace Silences Critics
Ronaldo failed to score in Portugal's opening 1-1 draw with DR Congo, drawing criticism that at 41 he was past his prime. However, he bounced back in commanding fashion against Uzbekistan, netting twice and also laying off a free kick to Nuno Mendes, who scored. Rafael Leao also found the net in the comprehensive victory.
Messi's Record-Breaking Form
Attention has been fixed on Messi throughout the tournament, with the 38-year-old scoring all five of Argentina's goals so far. Messi now holds an extraordinary tally of 18 World Cup goals, an all-time record. Ronaldo, however, reached his own landmark by becoming the first player to score at six different World Cups.
Ronaldo's Post-Match Reaction
Speaking after the match, Ronaldo said: 'God helps those who work hard. I knew my teammates would help out too. 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.'
He added: '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. 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. But we responded well today. That's what we wanted. We played with a high line, and when we do that, it's hard to stop Portugal.'
Reporter's Question Dismissed
As Ronaldo spoke to journalists in the mixed zone at Houston Stadium, one reporter attempted to broach the subject of goals scored by Messi and Kylian Mbappe. 'Yesterday, Lionel Messi scored 2 goals and Mbappe,' the reporter began, before being cut off by Ronaldo, who said, 'Next question.' Ronaldo swiftly moved on to address another journalist's query instead.
