Cristiano Ronaldo he was happy to talk about records, criticism and Portugal’s strong response against Uzbekistan. He was far less interested when the conversation turned to Lionel Messi.The Portugal captain turned in one of his best World Cup performances to date on Tuesday night, scoring twice in a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan that changed Portugal’s position in Group K and added several more milestones to his remarkable career.After a tough opening game against DR Congo, where Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw and Ronaldo faced criticism for failing to convert key chances, the 41-year-old responded with a record performance in Houston.His first goal came after just six minutes when he headed João Cancelo’s low cross past goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov, becoming the first player in football history to score in six different World Cup tournaments.His second goal, scored shortly before half-time after a perfectly timed run onto a Bruno Fernandes ball, took him to 10 World Cup goals for Portugal and allowed him to surpass Eusébo’s long-standing national record of nine, which had stood since 1966.After the game, Ronaldo seemed as relieved as he was delighted.After seeing a television camera, he exclaimed “I’m back”, a message that appeared to be aimed at those who questioned his form and Portugal’s prospects after the first game.Speaking afterwards, Ronaldo admitted that the previous week had not been easy.“It was a tough, dark week. I felt like I had already retired from football. But I persevered, as always, because I believe in work more than anything else.”Asked about his “I’m back” comment, Ronaldo added: “Yes, so people don’t forget.”About his performance, the veteran said: “They said I should retire… but I’m here.“The noise outside is always like this, but we can’t control it. We continue and we are united.”The veteran striker suggested the scrutiny extended beyond his performance against DR Congo, with reports circulating of alleged tensions within the Portuguese camp.“I knew that my teammates would also help me. It was difficult, I have to admit, but we came back. I’m very happy.”Ronaldo was also asked about becoming the first footballer to score at six World Cups, a record he adds to a list of achievements that already includes being the all-time leading scorer in international football.“Records are always nice to break, but my goal is to help the national team achieve its goals. The most important thing was the teamwork and confidence we had.”At 41 years and 138 days, Ronaldo is now the second-oldest goalscorer in World Cup history, behind only Roger Milla, and is also the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match. His latest also marked his sixth World Cup tournament, in which he has now scored at each edition, a Guinness World Record for being the first player in football history to score at six different FIFA World Cups.But the mood changed when a journalist tried to ask about Messi.During an interview in the mixed zone, a Spanish-speaking journalist began to ask about Messi’s latest World Cup exploits and appeared to mention both the Argentina captain and Kylian Mbappé before Ronaldo abruptly cut the conversation short.Instead of letting the question continue, Ronaldo turned around, pointed at another reporter and invited them to ask their question for him.The journalist never finished.Later, when another reporter asked if he could ask a question, Ronaldo responded sharply.“That depends on the question, otherwise I won’t answer you.”Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday, entered the day as the tournament’s leading scorer with five goals from two games and recently became the top scorer in men’s World Cup history. However, Ronaldo showed little interest in talking about his long-time rival on a night that belonged to Portugal.The only time he briefly touched on the subject came when he was asked about the possibility of facing Argentina later in the tournament.“I don’t know what to answer. That’s a question that doesn’t make much sense. But, well, it would be great.”For now, Ronaldo’s focus is firmly on Portugal’s own path.Victory over Uzbekistan took Roberto MartÃnez’s side to four points and leaves them in a strong position ahead of the decisive Group K final against Colombia. If Portugal win, they will secure top spot in the group and bring significant momentum into the knockout rounds.After what Ronaldo described as a “dark week”, the conversation he was most interested in was not about Messi, Mbappé or any other rival. It was Portugal’s response and its own reminder that it is still capable of shaping the biggest tournament in football.
