Khaberni - The match between the Portuguese national team against Uzbekistan displayed a sweeping superiority for the Portuguese with five goals unanswered, at the match which took place at the "Energy" stadium in Houston as part of the 2026 World Cup competitions.
Despite the heavy defeat, Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro caught attention with a moving statement about Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, expressing his great admiration for his exceptional career.
Cannavaro, the 2006 Ballon d'Or winner, said: "I retired years ago, while he is still competing at the highest levels with incredible efficiency."
He added in a direct message to Ronaldo: "Please never retire... as long as you are performing like this, why stay away from the fields?"
The Italian coach also defended Ronaldo's continued playing outside Europe, noting that football is no longer exclusive to Europe, and that experiences in Asia and America are proving their worth, just like Lionel Messi in the American league.
Cannavaro concluded his talk by describing Ronaldo as "one of the greatest players in history" and "possesses a special magnet for attracting goals."
The Portuguese team raised its points tally to four, temporarily leading the group, while waiting for the result of the upcoming match in the group between Colombia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which takes place today, Wednesday.
Portugal’s national team will face its Colombian counterpart next Sunday, the same day that the Uzbek team, which was eliminated from the tournament in the first round after its second defeat, meets the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the third and final round of the group.
