Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed a brace in Portugal’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan, but one of the standout moments of the match came from PSG full-back Nuno Mendes. The Portuguese defender scored a magnificent free kick during his country’s dominant World Cup 2026 performance.
After Ronaldo opened the scoring and became the first player in history to score in six different World Cups, Portugal continued to press forward. In the 17th minute, with a free kick in a dangerous position, most fans expected the captain to take responsibility.
Ronaldo and Mendes Combine for a Brilliant Set Piece
Instead, Ronaldo handed the ball to Nuno Mendes as part of a clever plan. “At first I was going to take it, then I told Nuno: ‘We’re going to fool the goalkeeper. He’ll think I’m shooting, then you’ll hit it hard to the side and it’ll be a goal,’” Ronaldo explained after the match.
Tout le monde attendait Cristiano Ronaldo… mais c'est Nuno Mendes qui s'en charge ! ⚽️ Le Portugal mène 2-0.
Suivez le match sur M6 et M6+ : https://t.co/jFBpiRsSsI#CDM2026 #FIFAWorldCup #POROUZ pic.twitter.com/FAAl14fADY
— M6 – Coupe du Monde de la FIFA 2026™ (@M6) June 23, 2026
The tactic worked perfectly. Mendes unleashed a powerful strike that caught the Uzbek goalkeeper off guard and doubled Portugal’s lead. The goal quickly went viral, with many praising both Ronaldo’s intelligence and Mendes’ execution.
After the game, the PSG defender revealed the secret behind the move. “Everyone thought Cristiano was going to take it, so I took advantage of the lack of concentration from the opposition,” he told beIN Sports. Inspired by Ronaldo’s leadership and Mendes’ brilliance, Portugal cruised to a 5-0 win thanks to Ronaldo’s double, Mendes’ goal, an own goal, and a superb strike from Rafael Leão.
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