The 2026 FIFA World Cup is well underway, with most countries having played their second group-stage match. That includes Portugal, which bounced back with a 5-0 win vs. Uzbekistan on Tuesday.
Before the game kicked off, Stephen A. Smith joined ESPN’s World Cup programming and dropped quite the statement on Cristiano Ronaldo.
“I don’t know if anybody has asked this, but I am going to ask,” Smith said.
“Have we reached a point where it’s not really about Ronaldo needing to come off the bench, that it’s really about him needing to call it quits?”
"Have we reached a point where it's not really about Ronaldo needing to come off the bench, that it's really about him needing to call it quits" – Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/0dIfP1pE6X
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 23, 2026
Smith has built a reputation for being loud, brash, and sometimes ridiculous. He often will drop takes that are so over-the-top that it just seems as though he’s looking for attention.
Think Skip Bayless.
That notion was quickly shot down by the talent in the studio, referencing that Ronaldo’s goal-scoring ability still provides value. The Portuguese legend then backed that up not long after.
It took just six minutes for Ronaldo to notch his first goal of the 2026 World Cup. In doing so, the 41-year-old became the first man ever to score a goal in six different World Cup tournaments.
But he was not done.
Ronaldo took a beautiful through ball from Fernandes up the right side and beat the keeper to the far post for a brace. That goal made it 3-nil, and the Portuguese would tack on two more before time expired.
With the win, Portugal is back in the hunt of winning Group K. They are currently atop the group, but Colombia, which is one point back, will play its second match against Congo DR on Tuesday night.
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