1998 World Cup winner Thierry Henry has criticized Cristiano Ronaldo's performance in Portugal's opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, suggesting that the veteran forward put his desire to score above the interests of the team.
As reported by İdman.Biz, Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their Group K opener, with Ronaldo playing the full 90 minutes.
Analyzing one of Portugal's attacking moves, Henry argued that Ronaldo's positioning prevented a promising opportunity from developing into a clear scoring chance for Bruno Fernandes.
"We see Portugal controlling possession and Joao Cancelo receiving the ball. Cristiano has been in this situation many times before," Henry explained.
"If he had made a run into the six-yard box, he would have forced the defender to make a decision and move closer to goal. But because he wanted to score himself, he moved into Bruno Fernandes' path."
The former France and Arsenal star believes Ronaldo's movement made life easier for the DR Congo defense.
"If he runs into the six-yard area, the defender has to follow him, creating space for Bruno to finish first time. Instead, Cristiano gets in the way of the cut-back pass. Suddenly both players are occupying the same area and it becomes much easier to defend."
Henry also pointed to Fernandes' reaction during the move as evidence that the midfielder expected a different decision from his captain.
"That's what I mean when I say the team should score, not you. Look at Bruno Fernandes' reaction — he's basically saying: 'Let the ball go, make the run and create space so I can shoot first time.'"
The comments come as Portugal face increased scrutiny following their disappointing start to the tournament. Despite entering the World Cup as one of the favorites to advance from Group K, Roberto Martinez's side failed to secure victory and will now look to bounce back in their next match against Uzbekistan.
