It’s been a rough start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup for Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.
Heading into this edition of the tournament, hopes were high for a squad labelled as the best supporting cast Ronaldo’s ever had at a World Cup. Alas, a 1-1 draw in their opening game against DR Congo brought those hopes crashing down, leaving fans and pundits unimpressed with Portugal’s chances.
Ronaldo has been bearing the bulk of criticism since that draw, especially with his peers showing up and showing out with goals galore. However, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star has now received support from an unlikely source ahead of Portugal’s second game.
Matthew McConaughey Throws His Weight Behind Cristiano Ronaldo
Last night, Lionel Messi bagged a couple of goals to pull clear of Miroslav Klose as the leading goalscorer in the history of the World Cup, bringing his tally to 18 goals. Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland also scored two goals apiece in France and Norway’s respective wins over Iraq and Senegal.
Those numbers turned the spotlight even brighter on Ronaldo’s barren run of form. And as criticism mounted against the superstar forward, Matthew McConaughey decided enough was enough.
Ahead of Portugal’s matchup against Uzbekistan, McConaughey’s question was simple: “Does Ronaldo go off today after the media has absolutely hammered him as a has-been?”
does Ronaldo go off today after the media has absolutely hammered him as a has been? https://t.co/GAyZUXRApS
— Matthew McConaughey (@McConaughey) June 23, 2026
It was a valid question from a man who knows a little bit about football himself. McConaughey is actively involved with MLS side Austin FC, given he’s the co-owner of the franchise.
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In any case, if Ronaldo scores against Uzbekistan (or at any point in this World Cup), he will have set a fresh record as the first player to score at six World Cups.
Why Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal Badly Need a Win Against Uzbekistan
This is Uzbekistan’s first-ever appearance at a World Cup, and being placed in a group with Portugal and Colombia was always going to be a challenge. Uzbekistan sit 45 places below Portugal in the FIFA rankings, and given the fact that Ronaldo’s side next face the Group K leaders, Colombia, another drab draw here in Houston, Texas, could spell trouble for La Seleção das Quinas.
Considering Ronaldo scored just one goal at Qatar 2022 against Ghana, the pressure is on the captain to lead from the front. With that in mind, Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez has made one change to the line-up, bringing Joao Felix in for Bernardo Silva, as they look to jump-start their attack.
