Cristiano Ronaldo rolled back the years with a stunning brace in the first half as Portugal thrashed Uzbekistan 5-0 in a crucial FIFA World Cup 2026 clash in Houston on Tuesday. At halftime, seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady summed up the mood of many fans with a simple four-word reaction.
Tom Brady Reacts After Cristiano Ronaldo’s Historic Performance in FIFA World Cup 2026
Portugal and Ronaldo were under immense pressure after opening their World Cup campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against DR Congo, as the 41-year-old also failed to register a shot on target and remained ineffective.
Against Uzbekistan, however, Ronaldo appeared to return to his best, and as soon as he did, Brady took to X to express excitement about the World Cup being hosted on American soil.
“Best World Cup ever????” he posted.
Best World Cup ever????
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) June 23, 2026
The former NFL quarterback has often spoken of his mutual respect and admiration for Ronaldo. The two sporting greats even met back in 2022 at Old Trafford, Manchester, when the Portuguese soccer star famously asked Brady: “You finished, right?”
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator
24 hours later, Brady came out of a retirement that lasted for 40 days and played another season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before his final retirement after 23 seasons in 2023.
As for Ronaldo, he opened the scoring in the sixth minute before adding a second goal later in the first half as Portugal cruised to a 5-0 victory. In doing so, he became the first player in football history to score in six different FIFA World Cups.
The Portugal captain has now found the net in the 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026 editions of the tournament. While Lionel Messi is also appearing in a sixth World Cup, the Argentine failed to score during the 2010 tournament, leaving Ronaldo alone at the top of the record books.
SIMULATE THE WORLD CUP: PFN’s FREE FIFA World Cup Simulator
The brace also allayed concerns about the Portuguese superstar’s form. Before the match, he had gone ten games without scoring across the World Cup and Euros. Ronaldo will be back in action when Portugal takes on Colombia next on June 27 in Florida.
Meanwhile, since hanging up his boots, Brady’s been focusing on his role with the Las Vegas Raiders as part of the ownership team. Additionally, Brady has been in the Fox Sports booth for NFL games next to play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt.
Apart from winning seven Super Bowl championships, Brady was also a three-time NFL Most Valuable Player, a two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and an NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
The No. 199 pick by the New England Patriots out of Michigan in the 2000 NFL Draft threw for 89,214 career passing yards, 649 career touchdowns, and 212 career interceptions.
