Cristiano Ronaldo was again the focus after Portugal opened its World Cup campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Congo. The veteran forward played the full 90 minutes but did not score, extending his run to five straight World Cup matches without a goal and 10 consecutive games across World Cups and European Championships without scoring. His last goal in a major tournament came in June 2021.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez pushed back on suggestions that the team’s problems begin and end with Ronaldo. After the match, he said, “There is no logic in taking out the top scorer in world football when you need goals.” Ronaldo, now with Al-Nassr, had only three shots and none were on target. He still reached a milestone by becoming only the second player ever to appear in six World Cups, alongside Lionel Messi, but unlike the Argentine, who scored a hat trick the day before, Ronaldo failed to become the first player to score in six different World Cup editions.
Martinez said Portugal’s collapse after Joao Neves gave them an early lead in the sixth minute was the real issue. He said the team started well, controlled the game and got into the box, but then became passive, kept the ball without purpose, lost depth and initiative, and stopped taking risks. He described the problem as more mental than tactical, linked to the pressure of a World Cup opener.
Not everyone agreed. Thierry Henry criticized Ronaldo on Fox Sports, arguing that the team’s priority is to score, not the striker’s personal tally. He said Ronaldo should have run deeper to pull defenders away and create space for Bruno Fernandes and others. Portugal now faces Uzbekistan on Tuesday and will be looking for its first win of the tournament.
