Portugal's disappointing 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo in the opening round of the 2026 World Cup has sparked a widening crisis around Cristiano Ronaldo's role as captain. Portuguese media are now openly talking about an internal split, after the 41-year-old played the full 90 minutes without a single shot on target and against an opponent ranked about 40 places below Portugal in FIFA's rankings.
The controversy intensified after Ronaldo's sister, Katia Aveiro, suggested on social media that some Portugal players were not cooperating with her brother. She wrote that they had somehow forgotten how to pass, tackle, or break forward, and complained that the match consisted mostly of backward passing in midfield. Her comments triggered a new wave of speculation and led angry fans to flood several players' social media accounts with hostile messages, while some even hinted at a boycott of Ronaldo.
Much of the criticism fell on Joao Neves, Portugal's only scorer, after he said that although he greatly respected Ronaldo, "right now he is no different from anyone else. He is just another player who came to help." Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, and Pedro Neto also came under pressure from supporters demanding they show respect to the captain. Vitor Pinto, deputy editor of the Portuguese newspaper Record, warned of a possible "civil war inside the national team," though he rejected the idea of an organized boycott. "I don't believe there was a boycott against Cristiano," he said. "But it is true that Portugal did not manage to communicate with him properly and did not find a way to fit him into the game effectively."
Criticism has also come from outside Portugal. Thierry Henry said Ronaldo seemed more focused on scoring himself than creating chances for teammates, while former England striker Chris Sutton criticized coach Roberto Martinez for not daring to substitute the star even when his influence was limited. Martinez continued to back Ronaldo, saying after the match, "When you need goals, you need a player like Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch," and argued that his presence was vital against Congo's deep defensive block. Ronaldo's immediate walk to the dressing room after the final whistle also raised questions, but Martinez said it was only the natural confusion of the tournament's opening days, not a protest. Portugal now turn to their next group match against Uzbekistan on Tuesday at 20:00, needing a first win and hoping to quiet the growing noise around the captain before it destabilizes the dressing room.
