Cristiano Ronaldo has had a front-row seat to a World Cup 2026 that has been overflowing with goals — yet he has none of his own. Lionel Messi has already struck five times, surpassing the tournament's all-time scoring record, while Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland have each netted four for France and Norway respectively.

Ronaldo, by contrast, drew a blank in Portugal's opening match against DR Congo — a game that ended 1-1 and left Roberto Martinez's side frustrated and pointless in Group K. Now, at 41, the question of whether he can still deliver at the highest level hangs over Tuesday's match against World Cup debutants Uzbekistan at Houston Stadium, which kicks off at 12pm US time (6pm UK time).

Portugal need a win

Portugal must bounce back from that opening stalemate and secure a victory that would put them in strong contention to finish in the top two of Group K. A second-round berth likely depends on managing a positive result here before a demanding final group fixture against Colombia, who currently lead the group after defeating Uzbekistan in the opening round.

Martinez faces pressing questions about his team's attacking output. Portugal boast an abundance of creative quality — Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva pull strings in the final third, while Vitinha and Joao Neves, both of Paris Saint-Germain, bring composure and control in midfield. Yet against DR Congo, none of it was enough to unlock a clean win.

Dropping Ronaldo remains unthinkable, but there will be growing scrutiny on Martinez if he fails to harness that collective talent into goals. Ronaldo has gone ten consecutive appearances at major competitions without scoring — a run that will weigh on everyone's minds in Houston.

Uzbekistan's mountain to climb

Uzbekistan arrive as clear underdogs and World Cup first-timers who showed spirit in a defeat to Colombia. If they are to cause a genuine shock in Houston, much will depend on Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov, their standout performer and best hope of keeping Portugal at bay.

Even so, the gap in quality between these two sides is significant. Portugal, their early-tournament sluggishness notwithstanding, carry far too much firepower for a Uzbekistan side still finding their footing on football's biggest stage.

Score prediction: Portugal 3-0 Uzbekistan