Ronaldo is back.
The moment Cristiano Ronaldo scored against Uzbekistan in the 6th minute (matchday 2 of Group K, World Cup 2026, June 24th), the Portuguese superstar didn't just score a goal. It was also the release of the pressure that had been building up and weighing on Ronaldo and the Portuguese team throughout the week, following their 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ronaldo had been criticized for being selfish, past his prime, and prioritizing personal gain over the team. Meanwhile, Portugal was seen as a disjointed and ununited team.
Ronaldo has rediscovered his desire to conquer.
PHOTO: REUTERS
However, the 5-0 victory against Uzbekistan sent the opposite message. Ronaldo opened the scoring with a clever off-ball run, deceiving three opposing defenders before finishing perfectly. He completed his brace with another perfectly executed offside trap, becoming the oldest player to score at the 2026 World Cup and reaching the record for scoring in six consecutive World Cup finals. After 20 years, Ronaldo is no longer the energetic young man he was in 2006. Time has etched wrinkles and marks on his muscles. But no one can take away the 41-year-old superstar's desire to prove himself. The spirit of "the most important things are yet to come," which Ronaldo once shared, is guiding him through the most difficult turning point of his career. Ronaldo is not selfish. He accepts being a "backdrop," using his breaths and footwork to deceive opponents, creating space for Nuno Mendes to score from a free kick. He runs continuously, pressing until the very last minute. He gestured for his teammates to move into position, while he himself stepped back to draw the opponent's attention. When a superstar chooses to retreat, the entire team fights for him.
"A goal from the captain is always valuable to Portugal. Ronaldo is still the most dangerous attacking player, we understand that," Bruno Fernandes affirmed. With a striker who has scored nearly 1,000 goals in his career, Ronaldo only needs one more goal to restart the "machine".
"The English Lion" is back on solid ground.
In a round where title contenders like Spain, France, Germany, Argentina, the Netherlands , Brazil, and Portugal all won, England... drew.
Ronaldo has rediscovered his desire to conquer.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The free-flowing, intricate passing game with a relentless tempo that England displayed in their opening match was gone as Thomas Tuchel's men faced a highly disciplined Ghana. England dominated completely, possessing the ball 79% of the time and taking 19 shots (compared to just 2 for their opponents), but these statistics became meaningless when Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham were ineffective in front of goal. Ghana deserves praise for their "ironclad" defense, similar to how their African compatriots Congo and Cabo Verde managed to draw against strong opponents. However, England also deserves blame for the return of their familiar monotony when facing a team that defended relentlessly. When Kane lost his touch and Bellingham was surrounded, Tuchel's team immediately became disorganized. That was not the image of a true champion.
England still leads Group L with 4 points, but their top spot is at risk of being threatened by Croatia (3 points) and Ghana (2 points) if they slip up against Panama in the final match. Colombia also maintained good form by winning 1-0 against Congo to lead Group K, ahead of Portugal. Just one point from the final match would secure Luis Diaz and his teammates the top spot in the group, thus avoiding a difficult knockout round.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ronaldo-da-bat-cong-tac-co-may-chinh-phuc-18526062423443628.htm
![[Infographic] Details of 6 toll stations on the North-South Expressway through Ha Tinh](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/402x226/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/06/29/1782685020813_fb_anh-dai-dien-infographic-khanh-phuong-1-png.webp)
