In the early hours of June 24, Cristiano Ronaldo drew attention with his highly calm action in Portugal’s 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan in Group K of the 2026 World Cup.
The situation occurred in the 30th minute when Uzbekistan put the ball into Portugal’s net with a beautiful long-range shot by Azizjon Ganiev. The goal caused the Uzbekistan players to burst into celebration, while many Portuguese players reacted fiercely, demanding the referee review the previous situation.
While Joao Cancelo was continuously arguing with the referee, the camera captured the moment Ronaldo approached and signaled to request the defender to calm down. The Portuguese captain used his hand to point toward the VAR screen, implying to let the referee conduct the review process instead of applying pressure.
Ronaldo’s gesture quickly attracted attention on social media. Many fans praised the composure and experience of the 41-year-old superstar, stating that he demonstrated his leadership role at the right time in a sensitive situation.
After reviewing the footage, the VAR team determined that Abbosbek Fayzullaev fouled Cancelo by stepping on the Portuguese defender’s shin before winning the ball. The collision occurred right on the edge of the penalty area, just a few seconds before Ganiev’s scoring shot. Therefore, the referee decided to disallow the goal.
Former referee Mark Clattenburg assessed that it was a completely correct decision. According to him, the foul occurred too close to the goal, leaving Portugal with insufficient time to reorganize their defensive system. Former forward Owen Hargreaves also agreed, stating that Fayzullaev made contact with the body before touching the ball.
After escaping the conceded goal, Portugal played with even greater excitement and won 5-0. Ronaldo scored 2 goals, becoming the first player in history to find the net in 6 different World Cups, while also setting the record for the most goals scored for Portugal in the World Cup finals.
