Former Manchester United star and billionaire Louis Saha has told Cristiano Ronaldo that he must accept being benched at times to give Portugal a better chance of winning. The 41-year-old Ronaldo had a difficult start to his World Cup 2026 campaign, drawing 1-1 with DR Congo on Wednesday.
Ronaldo's Struggles Continue
Ronaldo failed to score for the 10th consecutive game in major tournaments, drawing criticism from Thierry Henry and others. Henry claimed Ronaldo prioritised scoring over team success. Saha, who played alongside Ronaldo at United for four years, echoed those sentiments.
Speaking to Casinolyze, Saha said: "Cristiano Ronaldo needs to be saved from himself, because Cristiano is always going to be in competition with Haaland, Mbappe, and Messi. He wants to play every minute to break records, that's his mentality and we understand that. But I think he also understands that Portugal needs a high tempo."
Saha's Business Success
Saha, now 47, has amassed an estimated £4.3 billion since retiring through his sports company AxisStars, which he co-founded with marketing expert Kate Hamer. The company's website states: "Since hanging up his boots, Louis has moved into the world of business where he has used his experience to develop propositions to support athletes and other people in the public eye, in their careers."
Advice for Ronaldo
Saha added: "Sometimes he will have to answer unnecessary questions and sometimes you will have to bench Cristiano to allow him to go all the way in this competition." He noted that even younger stars like Kylian Mbappe can struggle, but talent shines through.
