'Became a burden': Legends criticize Cristiano Ronaldo, urging him "Don't ruin the team" amid a tough loss; Thierry Henry calls it "the worst"

*This content was translated by AI.

Fierce criticism is pouring in against Cristiano Ronaldo (41), captain of the Portugal national team. Not only are legends harshly criticizing his excessive desire to score, but the manager's decision to field him has also come under scrutiny.

Portugal drew 1-1 with the Democratic Republic of Congo in the first match of Group K of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the 18th (Korean time).

Starting the match and playing the full 90 minutes, Ronaldo recorded three shots with none on target. His ball touches were also the lowest among all Portugal players who played the full match, totaling just 25. As a result, Ronaldo added another dishonor to his record: ten consecutive major tournament matches without scoring.

Immediately after the match, harsh words from football legends followed. In particular, French legend Thierry Henry, appearing on the U.S. 'Fox Sports', strongly criticized Ronaldo's selfish play. He stated, "Because of his desire to score, Ronaldo blocked Bruno Fernandes' running line, making it easier for the opposing defense," and added, "What matters is not that you score, but that the team scores."

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney also joined the criticism. Rooney pointed out, "He is a player who can score when given the chance, but today he touched the ball far too few times." Chris Sutton also remarked, "Ronaldo had no presence in today's match. However, it seems the manager is afraid to substitute him," while also taking aim at manager Roberto Martinez's attitude.

Ronaldo's Portugal will challenge for their first victory of the tournament in the Group K second match against Uzbekistan on the 24th.

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*This content was translated by AI.