Six minutes into Portugal's match against Uzbekistan, Cristiano Ronaldo scored in a sixth consecutive World Cup and immediately turned to the camera. "I'm back," he said, ending an 11-match drought since the opening game of the 2022 tournament.
Ronaldo, now 41, had faced sharp criticism after a "mediocre" performance in Portugal's 1-1 draw with DR Congo, with rumours of breakdowns in relationships with team-mates swirling. But two goals against Uzbekistan – the first of which made him the first player to score at six different World Cups – answered his detractors.
“Ronaldo scores at sixth World Cup, Messi turns 39 with 18 goals, Modric gets 200th cap.”
"He is a human being," said Portugal manager Roberto Martinez. "He is allowed to have feelings." Former Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney added: "He takes some criticism and this is how he responds."
Ronaldo's double also made him the second-oldest goalscorer in World Cup history at 41 years and 138 days, trailing only Cameroon's Roger Milla (42 years and 39 days). He is now the third player to hold the honour of being his country's youngest and oldest World Cup goalscorer – one of the others is Lionel Messi.
Messi, celebrating his 39th birthday today, scored twice against Austria on Monday to take his all-time World Cup tally to 18 goals, top of the charts. The Argentina captain had already hit a hat-trick against Algeria in the opening match. The two goals on Monday meant both Messi and Ronaldo have scored their first and last World Cup goals for their country 20 years and 11 days apart.
While the spotlight falls on the enduring rivalry, Luka Modric quietly joined an elite club. The 40-year-old Croatia captain won his 200th cap against Panama on Tuesday, becoming only the fourth male player – after Ronaldo (230 caps), Messi and Kuwait's Bader al-Mutawa – to reach the milestone.
"He's the one and only, the best," posted Jude Bellingham after swapping shirts with his former Real Madrid team-mate following England's win over Croatia in Dallas.
Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic paid tribute: "It could be that Luka might want to avoid all of this ... He's very humble. I am very glad that we marked this occasion." Modric, the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner, had been written off after being substituted early in Croatia's loss to England, but against Panama he was back to his accomplished self.
"To have Luka here means a lot," Dalic said. "He shows young players how to work and how to fight for the Croatian shirt." As Ronaldo and Messi continue to shatter records, Modric's less heralded greatness may be the quietest of the three – but no less historic.