After the win, Ronaldo admitted Portugal had gone through what he called a “dark week” following the disappointing draw against DR Congo.
He said the criticism around the team had been intense and that the reaction after one match felt over the top, especially considering how early Portugal still are in the tournament.
That made the Uzbekistan performance feel like more than just a routine group-stage win.
For Ronaldo, it was a response not only on the pitch with two goals, but also emotionally after a few days where the pressure around Portugal had clearly grown.
