Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score in six World Cups as his double helped Portugal thrash Uzbekistan. But the historic feat was immediately dismissed as meaningless by critics who said the Portuguese superstar needed to 'get real'.
Ronaldo’s two goals against a shambolic Uzbekistan side ended his personal World Cup drought, yet the Mirror argued that 'the narrative around Cristiano Ronaldo being 'back' is farcical'. The newspaper described Uzbekistan as 'shambolic' and concluded that what Ronaldo did 'changes little or nothing'.
“Cristiano Ronaldo becomes first to score in six World Cups as Portugal thrash Uzbekistan, but critics say his double changes nothing.”
Portugal’s emphatic victory was built on Ronaldo’s first-half strike and a second after the break, but the criticism focused squarely on the quality of the opposition. The Mirror’s assessment was blunt: Ronaldo's double was 'not the win he thinks it is'.