Overview
- Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo on Wednesday, and Cristiano Ronaldo finished the match with just 25 touches and three off-target shots, extending his run to 10 major-tournament games without a goal for Portugal.
- High-profile former team-mates and pundits including Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Rio Ferdinand and Thierry Henry publicly criticised Ronaldo’s role and urged using him as a late impact substitute rather than an automatic starter.
- Manager Roberto Martinez defended keeping Ronaldo on for the full match, saying removing the nation’s top scorer in a game where Portugal needed goals would make no sense.
- Social media fallout has targeted several Portugal players, Ronaldo’s sister posted critical messages about team play, and a Portuguese journalist warned the row risks creating a ‘civil war’ inside the squad.
- Martinez must decide whether to change the centre-forward role before Portugal face Uzbekistan, a choice that could alter tactics, affect team unity and echo the 2022 precedent when benching Ronaldo temporarily reshaped Portugal’s attack.