Portugal beats Uzbekistan 2-0 in World Cup group match

On 23 June 2026, Portugal faced debutants Uzbekistan in Group K of the FIFA World Cup at NRG Stadium in Houston, United States. Roberto Martínez’s side started without Bernardo Silva, who was replaced by João Félix, while Cristiano Ronaldo scored both goals to secure a 2‑0 victory.

After the loss, Uzbekistan coach and former World‑Cup champion Fabio Cannavaro said, “It is normal to lose against Portugal” and warned, “You cannot give a centimetre to Ronaldo, otherwise you are dead.” He described the tournament as a “learning experience” for his players and noted that a disallowed Uzbek goal had hurt the team’s confidence. The result keeps Portugal in contention for automatic qualification, needing a win over Colombia in their final group game.