“I’m back!”: Cristiano Ronaldo silences his critics

Cristiano Ronaldo shone brightly in Portugal's 5-0 thrashing of Uzbekistan. The 41-year-old forward bagged a brace, surpassing Eusébio as Portugal's all-time leading World Cup scorer, and had a message for his critics after the match.

“I’m back. I’m back,” Ronaldo roared into the cameras moments after the final whistle. It was a moment of pure liberation for the national team captain, who hadn't scored in a World Cup since Portugal's opening match against Ghana in Qatar 2022.