World Cup what to know: Ronaldo looks to make history by scoring in 6th World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo, your turn.

The 41-year-old is acceptable to participate the World Cup connected Wednesday erstwhile Portugal meets Congo aft awesome performances by the tournament’s different apical stars.

France’s Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland of Norway each had 2 goals arsenic they opened their World Cup campaigns connected Tuesday, portion Lionel Messi scored a chapeau instrumentality for Argentina. That gave Messi 16 vocation goals successful the World Cup, tying him with Germany’s Miroslav Klose for the all-time record.

Ronaldo is besides looking to marque past by becoming the archetypal subordinate to people successful six World Cups. Messi, too, is playing successful his sixth World Cup but failed to find the nett successful 2010.

“Well, I privation him the champion — I anticipation that helium scores but not against us," Congo manager Sébastien Desabre said of the Portugal forward.

Ronaldo's absorption has been connected his team's success.

“We spell lucifer by match, but not with the expectations of winning it all,” Ronaldo told reporters successful Portugal past week earlier the team’s departure. “It has to beryllium measurement by step. A bully commencement is the astir important thing,”

Some Portugal supporters question whether the aging prima volition beryllium a assistance oregon a detriment to the team.

After scoring conscionable erstwhile successful the 2022 World Cup successful Qatar, Ronaldo was upset aft helium subbed disconnected against South Korea and benched for the club's archetypal knockout-stage lucifer against Switzerland. He besides failed to people successful the 2024 European Championship — the archetypal clip that has happened astatine a large planetary tournament.

But Ronaldo has besides shown signs of his aged productivity.

He scored 8 goals during Portugal’s 2025 UEFA Nations League title, including an equalizer successful the last against Spain. And, helium precocious won his archetypal Saudi Pro League rubric with Al-Nassr, scoring a club-high 28 goals.

What to ticker connected June 17

— Portugal vs. Congo, 1 p.m. EDT successful Houston (Fox/Telemundo/Peacock)

— England vs. Croatia, 4 p.m. EDT successful Arlington, Texas (FS1/Telemundo/Peacock)

— Ghana vs. Panama, 7 p.m. EDT successful Toronto (FS1/Telemundo/Peacock)

— Uzbekistan vs. Colombia, 10 p.m. EDT successful Mexico City (FS1/Telemundo/Peacock)

Kane, England question beardown World Cup commencement vs. Croatia

Harry Kane, 1 of the world’s ascendant extremity scorers, leads England into its archetypal lucifer against Croatia with the Three Lions seeking their archetypal World Cup rubric since 1966, erstwhile they won connected location soil.

Kane has been a unit implicit the past twelvemonth with 61 goals successful 51 matches for Bayern Munich crossed each competitions. The 32-year-old striker has 8 goals successful 2 erstwhile World Cups and won the Golden Boot successful 2018 by scoring six times successful Russia.

But helium didn’t people successful England’s semifinal nonaccomplishment to Croatia successful 2018. In 2022, helium missed a punishment precocious against France successful a 2-1 semifinal nonaccomplishment successful Qatar erstwhile helium sent the shot implicit the crossbar.

Kane’s 8 World Cup goals are 2 shy of Gary Lineker's England record.

Ghana to beryllium without Partey for opener aft entreaty denied

Ghana volition play its opening lucifer against Panama without midfielder Thomas Partey aft a Canadian justice connected Tuesday rejected a bid to let him into the state arsenic helium awaits proceedings connected rape charges.

Partey's visa exertion was denied past week.

He volition stay successful the United States portion his teammates play successful Toronto connected Wednesday. He volition beryllium eligible to play successful Ghana’s adjacent 2 matches — some successful the U.S.

Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had criticized the visa denial, calling it a “high-handed and highly unfair decision.” Its entreaty was heard by the tribunal earlier Tuesday.

Partey is awaiting proceedings successful Britain portion facing allegations from respective women dating to his clip playing for Arsenal from 2020-25. He has pleaded not guilty.

England's Livramento volition miss tourney with injury

England fullback Tino Livramento was ruled retired of the World Cup connected Tuesday due to the fact that of a calf injury, forcing manager Thomas Tuchel into a precocious squad alteration up of his team’s opener against Croatia.

Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah was called up arsenic a replacement and owed to caput to the England grooming campy successful Kansas City. Livramento was injured during grooming connected Sunday.

“A consequent scan and aesculapian appraisal connected Monday unluckily confirmed helium could play nary further portion successful England’s tournament,” it said successful a statement.

Uzbekistan acceptable to marque World Cup debut

Uzbekistan volition people the biggest infinitesimal successful the country's shot past connected Wednesday erstwhile it participates successful its archetypal World Cup, facing Colombia.

Coached by Fabio Cannavaro, Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning skipper and a erstwhile Ballon d’Or winner, Uzbekistan finished 2nd successful Asian qualifying to gain its mode into the expanded 48-team field.

Colombia is backmost successful the World Cup aft failing to suffice successful 2022.

More World Cup news

— France striker Kylian Mbappé scores 13th and 14th World Cup goals, moving into necktie for 3rd each time

— US authoritative says Iran knew squad would person to permission soon aft match

— Social media prima Tim Payne leaves New Zealand for Paraguay’s Olimpia

— Tunisia fires manager Sabri Lamouchi aft 1 lucifer astatine the World Cup and appoints Herve Renard

— US guardant Christian Pulisic practices connected his ain successful calf wounded rehab, squad says helium is ‘day to day’

— This Sweden defender astatine the World Cup isn’t your emblematic shot player: He’s a baron!

— Highlights from Day 6 successful photos

Stats of the day

England has struggled against European absorption astatine the planetary showcase, losing six of its past 8 matches. Its wide grounds versus UEFA teams astatine the World Cup includes 14 wins, 12 losses and 13 ties.

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This communicative was updated to close the spelling of Partey.

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AP Sports Writers Jim Vertuno and Kristie Rieken contributed to this report.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

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