Matchday 13 of the FIFA World Cup is underway, with England taking on Ghana in Foxborough.
Earlier on Wednesday AEST, Cristiano Ronaldo created World Cup history by scoring twice during Portugal’s 5-0 thrashing of Uzbekistan in Houston.
Later, Panama faces Croatia in Toronto and Colombia face DR Congo in Zapopan.
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FULL 2026 WORLD CUP SCHEDULE WITH AUSTRALIAN TIMES AND DATES
WORLD CUP MATCH CENTRE: Portugal defeats Uzbekistan 5-0, stats and more
WORLD CUP MATCH CENTRE: England vs Ghana scores, stats and more
WORLD CUP MATCH CENTRE: Panama vs Croatia scores, stats and more
WORLD CUP MATCH CENTRE: Colombia vs DR Congo scores, stats and more
Wednesday June 24 World Cup schedule (AEST)
Match 47 – Group K – Portugal vs Uzbekistan – 3am, NRG Stadium, Houston
Match 45 – Group L – England vs Ghana – 6am, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough (Boston)
Match 46 – Group L – Panama vs Croatia – 9am, BMO Field, Toronto
Match 48 – Group K – Colombia vs DR Congo – 12pm, Estadio Akron, Guadalajara
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‘I’M BACK’: RONALDO CREATES WORLD CUP HISTORY
Cristiano Ronaldo declared “I’m back” and said those “attacking” him should never write him off after making World Cup history in a 5-0 hammeringof Uzbekistan on Wednesday in Houston.
The big win in Houston put Portugal on the brink of the knockout rounds and was a resounding response to the 41-year-old’s doubters.
Ronaldo’s goal after six minutes made history – trumping even Lionel Messi – by scoring at six World Cups stretching back to 2006.
The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus ace pulled out his trademark ‘Siu’ celebration and let out a throaty roar in front of 68,777 fans.
After Nuno Mendes made it 2-0, Ronaldo neatly got his second with a cool finish six minutes before the break.
That took him to 10 World Cup goals, more than any other Portuguese player including the great Eusebio.
The five-star display was in stark contrast to a stale 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo in which Ronaldo was laboured and largely anonymous.
That sparked renewed calls in some quarters for Martinez to drop the veteran captain, with Ronaldo, the coach and the team all facing flak at home.
Ronaldo shouted into a television camera “I’m back, I’m back”, and said after his two-goal display: “I can say it was a very tough week, a difficult week, a week in which public opinion was very harsh on us, on all the players, especially on the coach.
“But it’s always like that, it’s fine because when you think about it, it’s already 23 years I’ve been a professional and whenever things don’t go well it’s, ‘Cristiano, he’s finished, he’s old’.
“But well, it was a good response from me and my teammates, which is what we wanted.” Ronaldo, the leading scorer in men’s international history with 145 goals, has been compared unfavourably with the likes of nemesis Lionel Messi and other star forwards such as Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane so far at the World Cup.
Put to him that he had now joined the party in North America, Ronaldo said: “I always arrive, even if it’s later, but I’m there.
“So, it’s about continuing my work, I truly believe in what I do. “My career has always been like this, it wasn’t going tochange.” He told Martinez and his teammates, who are on the cusp of the last 32, to ignore the outside criticism.
“Because we know that when we don’t play well or don’t win we’re always attacked, especially me,” he said.
“But as I said before, I’m already used to it and I carry on.”
Ronaldo did however, bristle at a question comparing him to Messi and Mbappe prompting him to dismiss the reporter “next question”
– ‘He’s a human being’ –
The Spaniard Martinez, who has defiantly stuck with Ronaldo no matter what, said he understood the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star’s reaction at the end of the game.
“He’s a human being. I think he’s allowed to have emotions, he’s allowed to have feelings,” he said.
Martinez said Ronaldo’s dedication, drive and hard work was how he had extended his career into middle age.
“I’ve never worked with a player that has got that capacity — that whatever happens today, tomorrow is going to be the hungriestplayer to improve,” he said of Ronaldo, who now plays in Saudi Arabia.
Uzbekistan’s coach Fabio Cannavaro, a former defender who lifted the World Cup for Italy in 2006, called Ronaldo “one of the strongest players in the history of football”.
He said: “As a defender, you need to be very smart to be close to him, because if you give one centimetre in the box, youare dead.”
Portugal’s final group match is on Saturday against Colombia, who beat the Uzbeks 3-1.
Colombia meet DR Congo later Tuesday in Group K knowing a win will propel them into the last 32.