Cannavaro hails Ronaldo after Portugal beat Uzbekistan 5-0

Fabio Cannavaro hailed Cristiano Ronaldo as one of football’s greats after the Portugal captain scored twice in a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan.

The Uzbekistan head coach said his side had prepared carefully for the match, studied Portugal closely and spent time working on their defensive structure, with Ronaldo discussed repeatedly in the build-up. Even so, he said some players can change a game in a single moment, and Ronaldo did that again on the night.

Cannavaro described the two goals as different but equally revealing of Ronaldo’s quality. He pointed to his positioning, timing and composure in front of goal, saying the forward still finds a way to punish mistakes even when opponents think they are in control.

He also singled out Ronaldo’s mentality and leadership. At 41, Cannavaro said, the forward still plays with the hunger of a young player trying to prove himself, and that attitude helps separate great players from true legends.