Cristiano Ronaldo is facing criticism from multiple quarters following Portugal's underwhelming World Cup opener – including from his own sister. The veteran forward has attracted censure for an ineffective display after Roberto Martinez's talent-laden squad were restricted to a 1-1 draw against unfancied outsiders DR Congo.
Ronaldo's Lackluster Performance
Ronaldo, now aged 41, spearheaded the attack for the entire match on Wednesday in Houston but missed two crucial second-half opportunities as the Euro 2016 champions sought a decisive goal. The Selecao seized an early advantage through midfielder Joao Neves' flicked header. However, they were pulled level on the brink of half-time when Newcastle United forward Yoane Wissa nodded in DR Congo's maiden World Cup goal.
Ronaldo has now endured 10 successive major tournament fixtures without registering for his nation – a spell during which he has unleashed 33 attempts without troubling the scoresheet.
Pundits and Family Weigh In
Numerous pundits identified the five-time Ballon d'Or recipient for particular reproach, with Thierry Henry suggesting he was performing for personal glory rather than collective success. "The team needs to score, it's not you who needs to score," the Arsenal legend and Fox Sports pundit said post-match.
The pressure has grown so severe that Ronaldo's sister felt obliged to contribute to the post-match analysis, acknowledging that the Portugal captain and his colleagues had delivered significantly below expectations. Katia Aveiro, who lives in Brazil, wrote on Instagram: "Obviously as a fan of my country, I was disappointed. We didn't play well, nobody played well."
She added: "They magically forgot how to pass the ball, how to win the ball, how to counter-attack [...] this World Cup is strange. But as I've always heard: 'Bad beginnings, good endings'. Let's think positively, only those who are there make mistakes. They made mistakes, they weren't the team we expected – nobody played well in my humble opinion."
She continued: "But am I sad? How can I be sad? I get sad when I see that image of Diogo Jota's mother and father, that's what sadness is. It would be selfish of me to feel sad because of the disappointment of our draw in the World Cup opener. Especially since I woke up happy today and this draw isn't going to take away my happiness."
Looking Ahead
Ronaldo and his Portugal teammates will be eager to put things right on Tuesday evening when they take on Uzbekistan at Houston Stadium in their second FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage fixture.
