18.06.2026 23:40
Cristiano Ronaldo, wearing the Portugal jersey in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, failed to meet expectations in the match against the Democratic Republic of Congo. Following the events in which Portugal dropped points in their first match, legendary footballer Thierry Henry criticized Ronaldo heavily.
Portugal, entering Group K of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a motto of absolute victory, caused disappointment with a 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo. Underperforming Portugal saw star player Cristiano Ronaldo become the target of criticism due to his ineffective performance.
HE WAS LIKE A GHOST ON THE FIELD
The 41-year-old footballer, who remained on the field for the entire 90 minutes, had an inaccurate match, failing to hit the target with any of his 3 shots towards the opponent's goal. The veteran forward, one of the players with the least ball possession on his team, completed the match with only 25 successful passes.
ARGUED WITH HIS TEAMMATE
Moreover, Ronaldo's tension was reflected not only in his gameplay but also within the team. It was learned that the star player, who became very angry after the Democratic Republic of Congo's goal, had a heated argument on the field with goalkeeper Diogo Costa, and this tension carried over to the tunnel during halftime.
GOAL DROUGHT EXTENDS TO 10 MATCHES
Ronaldo, who has failed to score in his last 10 appearances for Portugal, could not break his silence in this match either. His not being substituted despite his poor form has fueled criticism towards head coach Roberto Martinez. Former footballer Chris Sutton stated that Martinez acted cowardly in benching Ronaldo and that this timidity undermined Portugal's gameplay.
HENRY SLAMMED RONALDO
One of the harshest criticisms of Ronaldo came from French football legend Thierry Henry. Henry argued that Ronaldo harmed the team's play based on a position in the match and said, "If he had gone into the six-yard box, the defender would have had to follow him, and it would have been an easy goal for Fernandes. He gets in the way of the pass because he wants to score. My thought is this: The team that needs to score is you."