Cristiano Ronaldo, after becoming the first man to score in six different World Cups, shunned a reporter that asked a question about long-time rival Lionel Messi.
The Portugal captain was speaking in the mixed zone after scoring twice in his country's 5-0 win over Uzbekistan on Tuesday when a reporter said: "Yesterday Lionel Messi scored two goals..."
Ronaldo abruptly turned away and pointed at another journalist to take their question instead.
Then asked by a different reporter if he was going to answer questions, Ronaldo, 41, said "Depends on the question, otherwise I won't answer."
Ronaldo did respond when told he had joined Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland in scoring at the World Cup. "I always get there, even if I arrive late, I'm there," Ronaldo said.
He had scored in qualifiers yet had gone 10 games without a goal in major tournaments -- a run stretching back to November 2022.
"I believe in my work, in what I do," Ronaldo said on Tuesday. "I believe that God helps those that work. My career has always been like that and I'm not going to change anything."
Ronaldo and Portugal had faced criticism after their goalless draw with Congo DR in their World Cup opener.
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"I'm very happy because for me the most important thing is the team, to be united with them, with our family," Ronaldo said.
"That is what we can control, what comes from outside, we cannot control. We know that when we don't play well and we don't win, we are always criticised, especially me but I'm used to it."
A Euro 2016 champion and a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, Ronaldo is the men's all-time leading scorer in international football with 145 goals.
Although he has captured many titles in his career, unlike Messi he has not won the World Cup.
Portugal take on Colombia in Miami on Saturday. Colombia are two points clear of Portugal at the top of Group K and have already sealed qualification to the knockout stage of the World Cup with two wins from two games.