Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand was thrilled to see Cristiano Ronaldo shine in Portugal's emphatic 5-0 win over Uzbekistan during the second round of the 2026 World Cup group stage. After each of Ronaldo's goals, Ferdinand took to social media to share positive messages, highlighting Ronaldo's movement and lethal finishing skills.

Ferdinand compared Ronaldo's performance to that of younger players, specifically mentioning Erling Haaland, and challenged critics questioning Ronaldo's abilities. "To all the critics out there: shut up!" Ferdinand stated in a video posted on X, emphasizing the absurdity of doubting a player approaching the milestone of 1,000 career goals.

Ronaldo, who faced scrutiny after a 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo, proved his critics wrong by scoring twice against Uzbekistan, making him the all-time leading scorer for Portugal in World Cup history with 10 goals, surpassing the previous record of 9 held by Eusebio.

Major news outlets praised Ronaldo's performance. Spanish news agency EFE noted that he was now in a record chase alongside Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Haaland. The Guardian highlighted that Ronaldo ended a 10-match goal drought in major tournaments, raising questions about whether this year's World Cup is becoming a showcase for veteran players like Ronaldo and Messi.

Other publications, including the Independent, remarked that Ronaldo silenced his critics with his impressive display. The Spanish sports newspaper AS noted that Ronaldo responded to criticism in his usual fashion: by scoring goals and delivering exceptional performances.

However, L'Equipe, a leading French sports newspaper, suggested that the focus on Ronaldo's goals overshadowed Uzbekistan's lack of resistance in the match, as they only managed seven shots, with two on target that posed little threat.

Since debuting for Portugal in 2003, Ronaldo has set numerous records, including 230 appearances and 145 goals, contributing to the team's victories in Euro 2016, the Nations League in 2019, and 2025. With Portugal currently holding four points after two matches in Group K of the World Cup 2026, a win against Colombia on June 27 would secure their advancement to the knockout stage.