Houston, June 24 -- Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo reflected on his team's dominant 5-0 win over Uzbekistan in their second group-stage match of the FIFA World Cup 2026, saying the victory helped the side achieve their primary objective of advancing from the group stage.

Speaking after the match, Ronaldo addressed questions about a potential face-off with long-time rival Argentine legend Lionel Messi, calling the prospect "awesome," while stressing that his immediate focus remained on Portugal's progress in the tournament.

"I don't know how to answer that. But, well, it would be awesome. The most important thing was today, winning to advance, and being ready for what's next ... The main goal was to advance from the group stage, and ...