Cristiano Ronaldo agonises over ‘dark week’ after responding to retirement calls with World Cup double | OneFootball

A visibly emotional Cristiano Ronaldo agonised over a “dark week” after responding to retirement calls with a super World Cup double for Portugal.

Ronaldo was under fire after putting in a dismal opening outing during the 1-1 draw with DR Congo last Wednesday, with many questioning whether the 41-year-old’s continued presence in the Portugal team was hindering the nation’s World Cup hopes.

However, the superstar forward hit back at the critics with two goals in Portugal’s next outing against Uzbekistan on Tuesday afternoon, stamping his own mark in the World Cup golden boot race after rival Lionel Messi raced to the top of the charts.

Ronaldo also bagged an assist in the 5-0 win over the tournament debutants and only just about held back the tears as he opened up on the days that had preceded.

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring Portugal's third goal of the game (Reuters)

“We took a lot of criticism,” said Ronaldo, who made history by becoming the first-ever player to score at six World Cups. “We knew that was going to happen. But the team worked really well.

“Every cloud has a silver lining as they say. Obviously, speaking about myself, it's always nice to break records, but my main goal is to be able to to help the national team, achieve its goals, and in this stage, it's to qualify from the group stage, I think with four points we are already through, so I'm very happy.

“I knew God rewards those who work. I knew my teammates were going to help as well, it was a difficult week, a dark week.”

Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo, who has spent the last two and a half years at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, was flooded with calls to hang up the boots after his performance against DR Congo.

And while this will surely be Ronaldo’s last World Cup, he has reiterated his desire to reach 1,000 senior goals for club and country before he retires, with his brace against Uzbekistan taking his tally to 975.

“It felt like I was already retired from football,” he added. “But I held on as I always do, because I believe in hard work above everything else. I'm not going to [retire], I have to confess, but we are back.”

Ronaldo will hope to have got Portugal’s World Cup campaign back on track as he helped them to the top of Group K.

Their third outing will come against Colombia on Sunday 28 June in a match which looks set to decide the group winner.