Portugal vs Uzbekistan FIFA World Cup 2026 preview: Will Cristiano Ronaldo start and end his goal drought?

Cristiano Ronaldo has watched on as Lionel Messi took his tally to five goals at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and broke the tournament’s overall scoring record. He has also watched Kylian Mbappe net four times for France, Erling Haaland score four for Norway, and several other attacking stars make an immediate impact at a World Cup that has already delivered plenty of goals.

However, Ronaldo remains without a goal after a frustrating opening match against DR Congo, and the spotlight will once again be firmly on the Portugal captain when his side takes on World Cup debutants Uzbekistan on Tuesday.

Portugal are searching for their first victory of the tournament after being held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their opening Group K fixture. Uzbekistan, meanwhile, will be hoping to pull off a major upset after losing their first World Cup match to Colombia, who currently sit at the top of the group standings. A victory for Portugal would significantly boost their chances of progressing to the knockout stages ahead of a challenging final group encounter against Colombia.

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Portugal vs Uzbekistan Photograph: (WION)

Questions remain over whether Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez will make changes following a disappointing attacking display against DR Congo. The main focus, as always, is Ronaldo. At 41, the veteran forward appears to be struggling to maintain his influence at the highest level and has now gone 10 appearances without scoring in major international tournaments.

Leaving him out of the starting lineup remains highly unlikely, but pressure is mounting on Martinez to unlock the full potential of a talented squad featuring Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Vitinha, and Joao Neves. Uzbekistan showed resilience during their defeat to Colombia, but expectations remain modest for the tournament newcomers in a difficult group.

If they are to frustrate Portugal in Houston, much will depend on the performance of their standout defender, Manchester City's Abdukodir Khusanov. Despite Portugal's slow start, they will be confident of securing their first win of the World Cup and taking a crucial step toward qualification.