FIFA President Sends Message to Cristiano Ronaldo After Portugal Star Set New World Cup Record
- FIFA President Gianni Infantino sent a congratulatory message to Cristiano Ronaldo after setting a new World Cup record
- Ronaldo’s brace against Uzbekistan meant he became the first player to score at six FIFA World Cups, which he played in
- The five-time Ballon d'Or winner also became the highest-scoring Portuguese in World Cup history, surpassing Eusebio
FIFA President Gianni Infantino sent a congratulatory message to Cristiano Ronaldo after setting a new World Cup record with his brace against Uzbekistan.
Ronaldo helped Portugal win their first game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a 5-0 win against Uzbekistan to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Source: Getty Images
The Portugal national team captain in the process became the first player to score in six FIFA World Cups, having scored at least once in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and now 2026.
Ronaldo also moved up the ladder of Portuguese scorers at the World Cup, becoming the all-time top scorer with 10 goals, surpassing Eusebio.
Infantino sends message to Ronaldo
Gianni Infantino published a post on his official Instagram page with a congratulations message for the Portugal captain after his achievement.
“What an incredible achievement. Congratulations to Cristiano Ronaldo on becoming the first player to score in six FIFA World Cups. My best wishes for the rest of the tournament,” he wrote.
Ronaldo reacts to criticism
The Portuguese team, particularly Cristiano Ronaldo, was heavily criticised after their performance and result against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The captain responded to the critics after a comprehensive performance in the win over Uzbekistan, claiming that they cannot control it.
“It has been a difficult week. The criticism was intense, especially towards me, but after 23 or 24 years in football, I know how to deal with it,” he told FIFA.
“The most important thing is the team, and to stick together and with our families as well, because those are the things we can control.
“What comes from outside, we can't. We know that when we don't play well, we're always criticised, especially me, but as I said, I'm used to it.”
Roberto Martinez defends Ronaldo
Portugal's head coach, Roberto Martinez, defended Cristiano against the criticism and admitted that he handled it the way a captain should.
Source: Getty Images
“We're more united, we're stronger. We're playing a World Cup, of course, there's a lot of noise, a lot of tension, it's part of the game. Our focus is on the team. We're more united than before we arrived,” he said via Goal.
“There's no tension. He's an example as a captain. And he's reacted as a captain, with a lot of experience. He's probably the biggest example of how to recover, how to train. But that doesn't take away the feeling of frustration we all have, as a team.”
Ronaldo reacts after setting new record
Legit.ng previously reported that Cristiano Ronaldo reacted after setting a new record as the first player to score at six FIFA World Cups.
The former Real Madrid forward admitted that while personal achievements are great, his focus is on achieving the team's objectives.
Source: Legit.ng
