Houston, June 24 -- Cristiano Ronaldo was walking off the pitch at Houston Stadium after Portugal's 5-0 win over Uzbekistan when he noticed a television camera tracking him.
"I'm back. I'm back," he said, looking straight into the lens.
Ronaldo had just scored twice, helping Portugal secure its first win of the tournament and becoming the first player to score in six World Cups.
The achievement came after a difficult week for the Portugal captain. His performance in a 1-1 draw with DR Congo had drawn criticism from pundits and supporters, with some questioning whether he should still lead the line at the age of 41.
Against Uzbekistan, he responded on the pitch. Ronaldo opened the scoring after six minutes. Joao Cancelo delivered a cross...