Cristiano Ronaldo (left) of Portugal celebrates scoring during the Group K match against Uzbekistan at the FIFA World Cup on June 23, 2026. Photo: Xinhua

Cristiano Ronaldo became Portugal's all-time World Cup leading scorer by netting two goals in Portugal's 5-0 rout of Uzbekistan in a Group K match at the FIFA World Cup on Tuesday. The news quickly sparked heated discussions on Chinese social media. 

The 41-year-old Ronaldo became the first player to score in six different World Cup tournaments by scoring twice against Uzbekistan. After the final whistle, he delivered a simple message to the camera, "I'm back."  

With those two goals, Ronaldo took his tally in World Cup finals to 10, surpassing Eusebio's nine goals to become Portugal's all-time leading scorer in World Cup history. 

At 41 years and 138 days old, he also broke the record for the oldest player to score two goals in a single World Cup game.

The hashtag "C. Ronaldo becomes Portugal's all-time leading scorer at the World Cup" topped Sina Weibo's trending list on Wednesday morning. As of press time, the topic had generated more than 62,000 discussions and over 180 million views on Sina Weibo. 

"What makes a legend is not never falling, but always rising again - stronger and more spectacular each time. Respect to Cristiano Ronaldo, a true embodiment of never giving up," said a Sina Weibo user from Southwest China's Sichuan Province. 

"Seeing the fans in the stands join him in doing his signature celebration was truly moving," said another Sina Weibo user from East China's Fujian Province. 

Ronaldo produced a perfect response to his critics in this match, Beijing-based football fan Guo Yi told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

The captain was criticized for his form after Portugal was held to a 1-1 draw against DR Congo during their opening group game. Meanwhile, other stars have delivered impressive performances. 

Lionel Messi struck twice on Monday to become the World Cup's all-time leading scorer with 18 goals. French striker Kylian Mbappe, England captain Harry Kane and Norwegian star Erling Haaland have all bagged braces during their group games earlier.

Against Uzbekistan, a team considered underdogs in the group, Ronaldo quickly rediscovered his form. In this match, he also adapted to the team's tactical plan, choosing to give a free-kick opportunity to a teammate, and immediately embraced him in celebration after the goal, Guo said. 

As captain, his ability to handle pressure in major tournaments and maintain a stable dressing-room mentality means he plays an irreplaceable leadership role that other teammates cannot replace, Guo noted. 

But Ronaldo is no longer able to consistently press for 90 minutes and his teammates must cover more ground. The challenge is maintaining creative freedom for other players like wingers and attacking midfielders without reducing Ronaldo's goal threat, he said. 

After the match, Ronaldo shared that he had had a difficult week after the first round of the group match.

"The fact that he has played in six World Cups is remarkable in itself," said one Sina Weibo user from East China's Jiangxi Province. 

Portugal now sits in second in Group K with 4 points and will battle Colombia for the top spot in the group on Saturday.