India, June 24 -- Not once, but three times, Cristiano Ronaldo was asked about Lionel Messi when he stopped in the mixed zone following Portugal's emphatic 5-0 win over Uzbekistan in Houston on Tuesday. He ignored the first question, responded briefly to the second, and walked away during the third.

After a subdued display in Portugal's World Cup opener against DR Congo, which ended in a shock draw, Ronaldo answered his critics in style. The 41-year-old scored a brace against Uzbekistan to become the first player in history to score in six different World Cup editions, while also moving clear as Portugal's leading goalscorer in the tournament.

The Messi questions began almost immediately after the game.

When asked about Messi's exploit...