Portugal’s underwhelming 1-1 draw with DR Congo has sparked fresh debate over Cristiano Ronaldo’s role in the team.
The veteran forward played the entire match but failed to find the net, and some pundits argued that his display hindered his teammates, claiming he focused more on scoring himself than contributing to the collective effort.
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The criticism aimed at Ronaldo has created divisions among his supporters, though not necessarily among Portugal fans as a whole.
According to Portuguese publication Record, the social media pages of several Portugal players have been flooded with thousands of hostile messages.
João Neves, who netted Portugal’s opening goal against the African side, has received the most backlash after stating that Ronaldo “is no different from us”:
“We know what Cristiano has done for us, but right now he’s no different from us. He’s just another player to help out. He’s no different from the others.”
Meanwhile, players such as Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, and Pedro Neto have also faced criticism, with many comments demanding “respect” for Ronaldo and accusing them of failing to supply him with passes.
Some supporters have even suggested there is a deliberate effort among the squad to isolate CR7.
The controversy has escalated to the point where Record deputy director Vítor Pinto warned that it highlights “the risk of a civil war we could have within the national team” (via Marca).
Pinto dismissed the idea of an organised boycott against Portugal’s captain, but noted that “it is true that Portugal didn’t communicate with their centre forward, nor did they have a strategy in which the centre forward created spaces for other players to break through the defence and finish”.
As a result, questions remain over whether Ronaldo’s performance was too individualistic, as Thierry Henry suggested, or whether the blame lies with Roberto Martínez’s tactical approach.
More answers may emerge when Portugal return to action against Uzbekistan on Tuesday.
