'The team needs to score, not you' - Ronaldo struggles as rivals sparkle
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- Cristiano Ronaldo failed to score in Portugal's 1-1 draw with DR Congo, extending his drought to 10 consecutive games at major tournaments without a goal since a penalty against Ghana at the 2022 World Cup.
- Thierry Henry accused Ronaldo of selfishness on Fox Sports, saying "the team needs to score, not you" after Ronaldo's run blocked a cut-back intended for Bruno Fernandes, who was unmarked near the penalty spot.
- Chris Sutton blasted manager Roberto Martinez for leaving the ineffective Ronaldo on for the full 90 minutes, calling the decision "embarrassing" and saying Martinez was "scared to take him off."
- Francisco Conceicao twice cut the ball back to Ronaldo from the right when BBC pundits Wayne Rooney, Gael Clichy and Olivier Giroud all thought Conceicao was in a better position to shoot himself.
- Ronaldo recorded just 25 touches — the fewest of any Portugal outfield player who played the full match — despite Portugal dominating 75% possession and registering seven attempts (only one on target).
- At 41 years and 132 days, Ronaldo became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match, though his bid to become the first man to score in six different World Cups remains unfulfilled.
- A day earlier, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi had each lit up the tournament — Mbappe becoming France's all-time leading scorer, Haaland scoring twice on his World Cup debut, and Messi netting a hat-trick to draw level with Miroslav Klose as joint-leading World Cup finals scorer.
Why it matters: Ronaldo's drought now stretches to 10 consecutive major tournament games, leaving his bid to become the first man to score in six different World Cups hanging on Portugal's remaining group matches. Public criticism from Thierry Henry and Chris Sutton — plus Gael Clichy's observation that Ronaldo's superstar status may "unconsciously" cause teammates to defer — raises fresh questions about whether the 41-year-old's presence distorts Portugal's natural attacking flow.
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