Ronaldo’s Final World Cup Under Pressure as Portugal Star Searches for First Goal
Cristiano Ronaldo’s record-equalling sixth and final World Cup was always going to grab headlines, though perhaps not as early in the tournament as we have seen and for the reasons that have unfolded. It all started with a sub-par performance from the 41-year-old in Portugal‘s 1-1 draw with DR Congo in their World Cup opener. Then a regular post-match interview from João Neves was blown out of proportion and the Portugal camp was thrown into chaos. Such was the turmoil that it inevitably found its way into the national team’s camp in Palm Beach, threatening to derail their campaign before it has truly begun.
The trouble began when Neves, who had actually scored Portugal’s only goal in the opener, was asked about Ronaldo’s role in the squad. Neves, no stranger to facing the media in difficult circumstances, responded: “We know what Ronaldo has done for our national team, but at this moment I feel that for him, and for everyone, he’s one of us. He’s one more player trying to help, he’s no different to the others. He’s here to contribute like we all will.” What followed was a backlash that few could have anticipated. Ronaldo fans flooded the social media accounts of Neves, Bruno Fernandes, and others, accusing them of not respecting the Portugal captain. Even by Ronaldo’s standards as a global superstar, the reaction felt unprecedented, with pundits like Vitor Pinto of the Record newspaper noting: “It highlights the risk of a civil war that could emerge within the national team.”
The situation escalated when members of Ronaldo’s inner circle joined the online debate. His partner, Georgina Rodriguez, reacted to a fake quote attributed to Neves’ girlfriend, Madalena Aragao, before later deleting her comment. His sisters Katia and Elma Aveiro shared posts suggesting there had been an attempt to freeze Ronaldo out of the team. On CMTV – Portugal’s most-watched TV channel, in which Ronaldo is a shareholder – a pundit and lawyer who has represented the striker in business matters even cited a fake quote attributed to Zinedine Zidane in defence of him. The chaos reached its peak when Neves’ girlfriend, who had nothing to do with any of it, was forced to limit replies on her social media posts after being flooded with abuse. Ruben Dias, clearly exhausted, told reporters: “Honestly, I don’t care at all. I don’t think about it and nobody in the team cares.”
READ ALSO:
- Nigeria, UK Strengthen Defence Ties as Senior British Military Officer Visits Maiduguri
- Kwara Poly Suspends Lecturer for Flogging IJMB Exam Candidates
- US Mission Nigeria Opens 2026 Opportunity Fund for Nigerian Students – Apply Now
The controversy has been amplified by Ronaldo’s alarming goal drought. He has now failed to score in each of his last 10 major tournament appearances (World Cup and European Championship), a run that stretches back to a penalty against Ghana in the 2022 World Cup. That is despite attempting 33 shots and amassing an expected goals (xG) total of 4.5 in those games. Excluding penalties, he has gone 13 appearances without a major tournament goal, firing in 42 non-penalty shots worth 4.5 non-pen xG. Against DR Congo, he had just 25 touches (the fewest of any Portugal player to play the full match), took three shots without hitting the target, and even took one chance off the toes of Bruno Fernandes.
Ronaldo’s struggles have led to growing calls for him to be dropped. According to a recent poll conducted by the Zerozero website, 63% of Portuguese fans do not want him to start against Uzbekistan. Critics argue his lack of defensive contribution is no longer offset by goals. Luis Mateus, executive director of A Bola, stated: “He’s not the solution, and that alone makes him part of the problem. His goals used to make up for his lack of defensive contribution. Now he is no longer scoring, and he is affecting the entire attack mentally because his teammates still want to serve him even when there are better options.” Despite the criticism, coach Roberto Martinez has remained loyal. Under Martinez, Ronaldo has been substituted 13 times in 30 matches, but only once before the 60th minute. After the DR Congo draw, he remarked: “It doesn’t make sense to take off the world’s best goal-scorer in a situation where goals are needed.”
Portugal head into their second Group K match knowing a big response is needed. The draw with DR Congo means Portugal could now fail to win both of their opening two matches of a World Cup campaign for just the second time, previously doing so in 2014. A win against Uzbekistan is essential to relieve the pressure, ideally with Ronaldo finding the net. Despite the chaos, Portugal are rated as the clear favourites by the Opta supercomputer, given a win probability of 78.0% compared to Uzbekistan’s 8.0%. The match marks the first-ever encounter between Portugal and Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan, who lost 3-1 to Colombia in their opener, will sense an opportunity if Portugal are distracted.
For Ronaldo, the match presents an opportunity to silence his critics and end his 10-game goal drought. He has been here before. In 2010, he arrived at the World Cup after going two years without scoring in a competitive Portugal match, famously remarking: “Goals are like ketchup. When they come, they come all at once.” He ended his drought in the second group match against North Korea. He will be hoping for a similar outcome against Uzbekistan. The entire world will be watching to see if Portugal can unite and if Ronaldo can finally deliver on the biggest stage once again.