‘मैं वापस आ गया हूँ’: दो गोल करने के बाद रोनाल्डो ने राहत जाहिर की, जिससे पुर्तगाल के विश्व कप अभियान को नई ऊर्जा मिली।

• 41-year-old heavily criticised after DR Congo draw

• ‘It felt like I’d already retired from football,’ he adds

Cristiano Ronaldo savoured the end of a “difficult, dark week” after scoring twice in Portugal’s 5-0 rout of Uzbekistan and becoming the first player to find the net in six World Cups.

Ronaldo and Portugal had come under heavy criticism after a flat draw against Democratic Republic of the Congo. There had been a particular spotlight on the 41-year-old Ronaldo, who had not scored in 10 major tournament games before Tuesday’s fixture. There have long been question marks over his continued ability to lead Portugal on this stage, but after the final whistle he shouted into a television camera: “I’m back, I’m back.”