Thierry Henry has launched a scathing critique of Cristiano Ronaldo, accusing him of placing personal glory above Portugal's collective interests following a lackluster 1-1 draw with DR Congo in their World Cup opener. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star, competing in a record-equalling sixth World Cup, missed two clear chances and appeared a shadow of his former self.
Henry's Analysis
Speaking on Fox Sports, Henry pinpointed a specific incident where Ronaldo obstructed teammate Bruno Fernandes. "The team needs to score, not you need to score," Henry said. "Because he wants to score, he goes into the path of Bruno Fernandes. If he goes into the six-yard box, you would have had to follow him. Then it would have been a tap-in for Bruno Fernandes."
Henry also highlighted another moment: "Because he wants to score, he goes in the path of the backpass. You see both players and it's easier for you to defend. And that's my thing, the team needs to score, not you."
Criticism from Others
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton lambasted manager Roberto Martinez for keeping Ronaldo on the pitch. Writing on X, Sutton said: "Embarrassingly weak from Roberto Martinez. He should have hooked Ronaldo off but he's too scared of upsetting him. Ronaldo is essentially the manager of Portugal."
Joe Cole urged Martinez to use Ronaldo more selectively. Speaking on the Rest is Football show, Cole said: "What benefit is he going to be trying to play every minute of every game for eight matches? He needs to be used sparingly. The manager's got to be strong enough [to drop him]."
Pressure Mounts
The 1-1 draw has intensified pressure on Portugal and Martinez ahead of Group K matches against Uzbekistan and Colombia. Martinez reflected: "We started the match very well. Scoring should have been a great moment, but it wasn't. I think we lost a bit of our attacking depth, lost fluency in possession, and allowed them to regain their shape. The confidence they gained after the goal made the game very difficult."
Portugal face Uzbekistan on Tuesday before a decisive group finale against Colombia on June 28. Colombia defeated Uzbekistan 3-1 in their opening match.
