Football Bet of the Day: Cristiano Ronaldo’s final act of vain defiance

Portugal take on Uzbekistan in their second 2026 World Cup outing at Houston Stadium in Texas (6pm BST, 1pm local, ITV One & ITVX). The European side could only draw 1-1 in their Group K opener against DR Congo. Uzbekistan are still seeking their first point, having lost 3-1 to Colombia.

All the talk surrounding Portugal has been their over-reliance on a certain Saudi Pro League forward. With that in mind, here is my rather divisive pick for Football Bet of the Day.

Portugal vs Uzbekistan Odds

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have shifted the paradigm of professional football. We are spending a good portion of this tournament talking about two players who played in their first World Cups before Spain wunderkind Lamine Yamal was even born.

In the case of Messi, who won this tournament in 2022 with Argentina, it is with the dewy-eyed recognition that he’s still got it. The emotional weight of the fact that this diminutive ball of talent and ingenuity is still capable of bagging a hat-trick on the biggest stage, as he did in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria.

Ronaldo’s age-defying appearance at a sixth World Cup is capturing the zeitgeist too, but not for sentimental reasons. The Portugal monolith is being roundly urged to exit stage left, with his starting berth in Roberto Martinez’s team a cause of indignation and mockery.

I count myself among those dissenting voices. The talents of Bruno Fernandes, Joao Neves and Vitinha are hamstrung by his demanding presence. Messi still glides, schemes and scores. He plays with his teammates. Ronaldo has gone from luxury player to obstacle. A man raging against the dying of the light, still clinging to the vain belief that this Portugal side should play for him, not with him.

While I do hold the view that Ronaldo is holding Portugal back, I am still backing five-time Ballon d’Or winner to score first as his side meet Uzbekistan. ‘CR7’ is a 2/1 bet to open the scoring and I believe he will do exactly that.

Why? Because I do not expect Uzbekistan to be as defensively stubborn as DR Congo. I also expect Ronaldo to have something to prove. Yes, he is too singular to truly thrive in a team environment these days. The 41-year-old is more suited to being a tall poppy in the lowly Saudi Pro League than excelling on the world stage. But, in the nicest possible way, you do not have to excel to score a goal against Uzbekistan.

You need to be able to time a header. To back yourself from distance. To see something in the box that nobody else can perceive. Not the opposing defenders, goalkeeper or even some of your own teammates. You need to be your side’s designated penalty taker. You need to absolutely feast on defences that aren’t very good. Ideally, you should have plenty of practice at the latter for your club…

Ronaldo is a busted flush in terms of bending a World Cup to his will. He would struggle to keep up with the Championship these days, let alone the Premier League. But like Liam Neeson, he is both ancient and in possession of a particular set of skills. 

The instincts are still there. The technique is too. Ronaldo has lost more than a step. He’s lost so many that you could list him on Zoopla as a bungalow. Ronaldo isn’t as good as he was. But against Uzbekistan, he doesn’t have to be. He. Just. Has. To Score. 

Nobody, not even his old mate Leo, has pursued the sacrosanct meeting of ball and net with the self-obsessed, single-minded, obsessive-compulsive will that took Cristiano Ronaldo from lightweight, preening winger to bull-necked force of nature. 

Write Ronaldo off all you want. You’re right to do so. But this is one mission that is well within his eroded capabilities. Ronaldo to score first is 2/1. It might be the last time he ever does so in a game of this magnitude.

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Pre-Match Bet Builder & Single bets on qualifying Player selections. Selected leagues & markets only. Applies to Price Boosts & Turbo Boosts. Extra-time will count. T&Cs Apply.

Sub Switch

Pre-Match Bet Builder & Single bets on qualifying Player selections. Selected leagues & markets only. Applies to Price Boosts & Turbo Boosts. Extra-time will count. T&Cs Apply.